NDLEA seizes N5.3bn cocaine hidden in charms at Lagos airport

The operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted Australia-bound cocaine worth N5.3 billion at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Ikeja, Lagos State.

The cocaine was concealed in textile materials and local charms going to Sydney, Australia, at the Lagos airport.

The NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement issued on Sunday, September 7, 2025.

Babafemi said the NDLEA officers, in a two-week-long intelligence-led operations across parts of Lagos, arrested three leaders of the cartel after the cocaine was intercepted.

Babafemi said the unraveling of the drug syndicate commenced on August 26 after NDLEA officers at the export shed of the Lagos airport intercepted 76 cartons of textile materials going to Sydney.

He stated that a thorough search of the shipment led to the recovery of 16 big blocks of cocaine weighing 17.9 kilograms hidden in the lace materials parked with local charms to provide spiritual cover against law enforcement detection.

Babafemi noted that a freight agent and member of the syndicate, Olashupo Michael Oladimeji, was the first to be arrested.

“The consignment was expected to fetch the syndicate an estimated street value of over 5.3 million Australian Dollars, equivalent of N5.3 billion,” the NDLEA spokesman disclosed.

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Babafemi said investigation of the operations of the IOCG quickly unmasked other leaders of the group – Muaezee Ademola Ogunbiyi and Shola Adegoke.

He stated that Ogunbiyi who is the arrowhead of the syndicate in Nigeria was arrested at a hotel in Ikeja on Wednesday, September 3, and swiftly taken to his house in the Lekki area of Lagos where a search led to the recovery of 21 parcels of Canadian Loud, a strain of cannabis with a total weight of 10.90kg and a double-barreled pump action gun, with some cartridges.

The NDLEA spokesman added: “A house located at 13 Reverend Ogunbiyi Street, Ikeja GRA, where the criminal group use to package illicit drugs for export was subsequently raided and another leader of the syndicate Shola Adegoke arrested there.

“A black Range Rover SUV marked RBC 459 EJ found in the compound was searched and 17 parcels of Loud weighing 9.60 kilograms were recovered.

“A black Toyota Venza car with registration number FST 771 JQ was earlier recovered from Ogunbiyi at the point of his arrest at the hotel.

“Investigations revealed that while Ogunbiyi coordinates operations for the group in Nigeria, one Adebisi Ademola Omoyele (Mr. Bee) who is currently hibernating in Dubai, UAE is identified as the ringleader of the criminal network who coordinates their overseas operations.

“Shola Adegoke was found to have been jailed in the UK in 2021 for dealing in Methamphetamine and subsequently deported to Nigeria in 2024.

“Ogunbiyi was also found to have served a 14-year-jail term in the UK over a murder case before returning to Nigeria about eight years ago.”

The Star