NDLEA intercepts Saudi Arabia, Europe-bound cocaine hidden in phone chargers, backpack

The operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have thwarted attempts by some drug trafficking syndicates to export 1.2 kilograms of cocaine concealed in 25 pieces of phone chargers going to Saudi Arabia at a courier firm in Lagos State.

The NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, who disclosed this via a statement issued on Sunday, August 9, said a similar bid to send 500 grams of cocaine hidden in the false bottom of a backpack to Italy was equally aborted in another logistics company by NDLEA officers on Monday, August 3, 2026.

Babafemi revealed that a consignment of 2.3kg Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis, coming from the United States was also intercepted in another shipping company in Lagos on Tuesday, August 4, 2026.

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He said NDLEA officers on patrol along the Akure-Ilesha expressway in Ondo State intercepted a truck heading to the North with 1,633 kilograms of skunk concealed in bags of rice shafts on August 4.

Babafemi stated that two suspects – 40-year-old Buba Jamilu and 30-year-old Sanusi Ibrahim – transporting the consignment were arrested, while 147kg skunk was recovered from Ita-Ogbolu forest during a raid operation on August 3.

“A total of 73 cartons containing 442 packets of cookies and gummies infused with cannabis weighing 309.4kg were discovered during a joint examination of a 40ft container by NDLEA officers, Customs and other security agencies on Tuesday 4th August at the Tincan port complex Lagos. A suspect, Larry Nnaji, has already been arrested in connection with the seizure,” Babafemi added.

Commending the anti-narcotic officers for the various successful operations, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Marwa (rtd), enjoined them and their colleagues across the country to continue with the ongoing balanced approach to the drug control efforts of the agency.