NDLEA intercepts illicit drug shipments hidden in cookies, teddy bears, others

By : 'Sola Akinsanmi

Date: 30 November 2025 1:42pm WAT

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NDLEA

NDLEA

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have dismantled a social media-based drug distribution network in Lagos that concealed illicit substances as imported Christmas cookies and snacks, arresting two alleged organisers.

In a statement released on Sunday by the Director of Media & Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, the agency said the syndicate, run by Deji Adesanya and Olubiyi Majekodunmi, imported consignments of Canadian Loud, a potent strain of cannabis, and packaged it in colourful designer sachets bearing cookie and snack labels to disguise retail quantities. The network reportedly sold and distributed the drugs through a WhatsApp platform.

“Following credible intelligence, NDLEA operatives on Saturday, 22 November 2025, raided their apartment at Ojulari Street, Ikate area of Lekki, recovering a large quantity of the designer sachets and five kilograms of Loud at the point of arrest,” the statement said.

In a separate operation on Thursday, 27 November, the agency arrested 38-year-old Philip Ucheka in Ladipo, Mushin, Lagos, while he was receiving 110 pouches of Canadian Loud weighing 55.6 kilograms. Three delivery vehicles used for distribution were also impounded.

At a courier company in Lagos, officers intercepted 100 grams of Loud concealed inside a teddy bear imported from Thailand, while 548 capsules of tramadol hidden in Vitamin C and magnesium bottles bound for the United Kingdom were recovered from another logistics firm on 28 November.

In Oyo State, NDLEA officers on 29 November arrested 55-year-old Wasiu Kareem along the Lagos–Ibadan expressway with 8,000 ampoules of pentazocine injection, 590 bottles of codeine syrup, 1,500 Co-codamol pills, and 9,900 tramadol capsules.

In Ondo State, seven suspects were arrested on 24 November during a raid on the Ipe forest in Akoko South East, where 3,077 kilograms of skunk, a strain of cannabis, were seized. The arrested individuals were identified as John Ede, Ede Ndubuisi, Ikenna Abe, Eze Chukwuma, Maduabuchi Odo, Nnaji Chudubem, and George Okowor.

In Kogi State, Anthony Sylvester, 49, was arrested while transporting 649 kilograms of skunk along the Okene–Lokoja highway on 26 November. Separately, NDLEA officers raided a warehouse at Ashipa, Seme border area, Badagry, Lagos on 28 November, apprehending 33-year-old Abubakar Shuaibu with 487 blocks of skunk weighing 243.5 kilograms.

Along Zaria–Kano Road in Kano, officers arrested 47-year-old Tsalha Alasan on 24 November with 137 kilograms of skunk. In Bauchi State, three suspects—Godspower Appeal, 50; Ernest Upong, 55; and Godday Chukwudi, 38—were arrested on 26 November at Fanshanu village, Toro LGA, with 322 blocks of skunk weighing 209 kilograms. A black Toyota Highlander, ABJ 533 EA, used for transportation, was also seized.

NDLEA also reported the arrest of 51-year-old John Ekojo with 210.15 kilograms of skunk along the Abuja–Jos highway. Additionally, a couple, Abdullahi Abubakar, 45, and Jamila Abdullahi, 35, were apprehended along the Abuja–Kaduna highway with 725 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition concealed in a sack of maize. On 28 November, 20-year-old Awwal Sabiu was also arrested at the Abuja–Kaduna tollgate with 400 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition.

The NDLEA statement confirms that the operations reflect ongoing efforts to intercept illicit drugs and prevent their distribution both within Nigeria and internationally.

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