LAGOS — In a major breakthrough against international narcotics syndicates, operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a 63-year-old Chinese national and intercepted multi-billion Naira shipments of illicit synthetic drugs across various Nigerian airports and border commands.
The string of high-profile interdictions highlights the evolving tactics of drug cartels utilizing unconventional couriers and sophisticated concealment methods to breach Nigeria’s borders.
The Airport Intercepts: From Synthetic Cannabis to Swallowed Cocaine
The crackdown began on Sunday, May 17, 2026, when NDLEA operatives stationed at Terminal 2 Arrival Hall of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos intercepted Ting Hung Kiong. The 63-year-old female Chinese national, who naturalized in Malaysia, had just arrived aboard an Emirates Airline flight from Thailand via Dubai, UAE.
A thorough search of her luggage revealed two large travel boxes packed with “Canadian Loud”—a highly potent synthetic strain of cannabis—weighing 31.0 kilograms.
Under interrogation, Kiong claimed she works as a caregiver in Malaysia and that her travel expenses were sponsored by her daughter. She disclosed that she spent two weeks in Thailand before an individual handed her the illicit cargo at the airport to deliver to an undisclosed recipient in Nigeria.
In another major breakthrough at the Lagos airport import shed, the Nigeria Customs Service officially handed over 29 large cartons to the NDLEA on Friday, May 22, 2026. The consignment, closely monitored since its arrival from India via an Emirates Cargo flight, contained 1,825,710 tablets of Tapentadol (250mg) valued at a staggering N2,190,852,000.
Meanwhile, at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu, operatives intercepted Onyeka Valentine Emeka on Wednesday, May 20, during inward passenger clearance from Sierra Leone via Addis Ababa. Following hours of strict observation, the suspect excreted 185.36 grams of pure cocaine.
Concealment in Foil and Courier Services
Smuggling attempts targeting outbound flights were also thwarted. At the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, 29-year-old building engineer Babatunde Prosper Afekhide was arrested on Wednesday, May 21, as he attempted to board an Ethiopian Airlines flight bound for Milan Malpensa, Italy.
Security personnel discovered 10,280 pills of Tramaking (225mg), Tramadol (200mg), and Tapentadol (250mg) wrapped tightly in foil paper and hidden inside a false-bottom suitcase to evade X-ray detection.
Similarly, the NDLEA’s Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI) raided a courier firm in Lagos, intercepting outbound parcels destined for the West. The seized items included:
1.1,174 pills of MDMA (Ecstasy) hidden inside a bicycle luggage carrier bound for the Netherlands.
2.66 pills of Tramadol (225mg) concealed within a soap container heading to the United States.
3.18 tablets of Tramadol (225mg) stuffed inside a body cream container destined for the United Kingdom.
Statewide Raids and the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA)
The enforcement wave extended inland with massive seizures across several states:
1.Edo State: A well-coordinated raid on the Igwe community in Owan East Local Government Area yielded 59 jumbo bags of skunk (489kg) alongside 9kg of cannabis seeds.
2.Ekiti State: Operatives stormed a warehouse in the Ikoyi community of Ikole-Ekiti on Saturday, May 23, seizing 1,116 kilograms of skunk and arresting 54-year-old suspect Ogundana Adebayo Julius.
3.Kano State: On Wednesday, May 20, 30-year-old Isah Sani was intercepted along the Zaria-Kano highway with 196,000 pills of Exol-5.
4.Seme Border: Operatives recovered 59kg of skunk from a secret warehouse in Mowo, Badagry on Tuesday, May 19.
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Alongside aggressive supply reduction efforts, the anti-narcotics agency intensified its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign over the past week, conducting public advocacy lectures at schools across the federation, including Command Day School in Ibadan, Girls Secondary School in Anambra, and Government Girls Secondary School in Kano.
Reacting to the successful operations, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), highly commended the tactical precision of the MMIA, NAIA, AIIA, and various state commands. Marwa urged officers to maintain the momentum, emphasizing that the agency remains unyielding in its mission to disrupt drug trafficking networks operating within and across Nigerian borders.
