From Beauty to Bust: NDLEA Seizes Cocaine Meant for UK, Saudi Arabia Hidden in Everyday Items

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted multiple drug consignments concealed in everyday items and arrested several suspects across Nigeria as part of its intensified crackdown on narcotics trafficking.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

According to a statement issued on Sunday by NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, operatives from the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation uncovered two cocaine-laced shipments at a logistics firm in Lagos on July 3, 2025.

One of the consignments contained 420 grams of cocaine ingeniously hidden in 84 pieces of factory-packaged female lipsticks en route to the United Kingdom. In the second case, 280 grams of cocaine were concealed inside a Certificate of Occupancy being shipped to Saudi Arabia.

In a separate operation on June 28, the agency arrested a notorious drug kingpin, Ajetsibo Emami, popularly known as “Warri Kinsman,” following a three-day surveillance in Ikeja. The bust led to the seizure of 681 pouches of ‘Canadian Loud’ cannabis weighing 414.2kg, packed in 24 jumbo bags. Three of his associates were also arrested.

Babafemi further revealed the takedown of a drug trafficking family network. Ajah Johnson Uchenna, his wife Rosemary, daughters Stella and Ngozi, and their family friend Okoro Elijah were arrested after a major haul of 277.5kg of cannabis by the DSS in Ojo, Lagos. A follow-up NDLEA raid on July 1 recovered an additional 231kg of skunk from their home, while the daughters and Elijah were found to have continued the illicit trade.

At the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, on July 2, NDLEA operatives arrested Aburemi Hysent, a frequent traveller, with 7,660 Tramadol pills hidden in food items destined for Italy. He reportedly confessed that he was promised €800 to deliver the drugs.

On July 4, another interdiction at the Lagos airport led to the discovery of 52 counterfeit travellers’ cheques worth AU$17.7 million, concealed in children’s books and bound for Malaysia via Istanbul. Freight agent Bolarinwa Saheed was arrested and handed over to the EFCC for further investigation.

Additional operations recorded multiple seizures across Nigeria:

• Seme border, Lagos (July 5): 359kg of cannabis recovered from Baba-Pupa area.

• Okene-Lokoja highway: 10,000 Tramadol pills and 1.05kg of Colorado intercepted; follow-up arrests made in Jabi Park, Abuja.

• Osun State (July 1–3): Over 62,000 opioid pills seized in Osogbo and Ile-Ife; a 9.67-hectare cannabis farm destroyed in Oke-Ila with seven suspects arrested.

• Borno: 167kg of skunk recovered in Gamboru-Ngala.

• Zaria-Kano Road: 452kg of cannabis seized, two suspects arrested.

• Kaduna: 11,000 Tramadol pills found on a 30-year-old suspect.

• Sokoto: 62-year-old suspect caught with 4,800 pills of Tramadol.

• Kebbi: 312kg of cannabis and 10,000 Diazepam tablets seized at Bakin Kasuwa, Yauri.

• Taraba: Two suspects arrested with nearly 50,000 Tramadol capsules.

• Edo: 115kg of skunk seized from wanted trafficker Alaba Monday; three others arrested on a 2-hectare cannabis farm.

• Cross River: 78-year-old suspect and accomplices arrested in Obubra LGA with quantities of skunk and Tramadol.

Babafemi praised NDLEA operatives for their coordination, vigilance, and alignment with the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign. NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd), reiterated the agency’s balanced strategy of both supply reduction and public education, promising sustained action across all