Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have uncovered a sophisticated international drug trafficking network in which cocaine was concealed inside tins of palm kernel oil destined for the United Kingdom.
The discovery followed a three-week intelligence-led operation that led to the dismantling of the syndicate, the arrest of its alleged kingpin, and the recovery of key evidence, including hundreds of specially modified tins used to hide drugs.
According to a statement by NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi, the breakthrough occurred on 11 March 2026 at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, where officers intercepted 3.10 kilogrammes of cocaine hidden inside tins of palm kernel extract at the export shed.
The shipment, disguised as a legitimate export consignment, was bound for the UK. Babafemi said the concealment method was deliberate and carefully executed, with traffickers draining the oil from the tins to create space for the drugs before resealing them.
Two suspects, Idris Olayiwola Amoo and Akinlami Akinsoji Adedoyin, were arrested at the scene, triggering further operations that exposed the syndicate’s network.
A follow-up sting operation on 2 April led to the arrest of the sender, Ezemuwo Joel, who had been operating under a false identity. His arrest enabled investigators to trace the alleged mastermind, 52-year-old King Arinze.
Arinze was later apprehended at a hideout in the Isolo area of Lagos and taken to a warehouse in Bucknor, where NDLEA operatives uncovered the scale of the operation.
At the facility, officers recovered 886 tins of palm kernel oil prepared for drug concealment, along with industrial equipment such as sealing machines, tin openers and paint sprays used to disguise the tins. Small quantities of cannabis and other related materials were also seized.
Investigators said Arinze admitted to personally overseeing the concealment process.
The NDLEA noted that the case highlights a growing trend of traffickers exploiting legitimate export goods to evade detection, raising concerns over evolving methods used by international drug networks.
Reacting, NDLEA Chairman Mohamed Buba Marwa said the operation reflects the agency’s improved intelligence capabilities and determination to dismantle drug supply chains.
“These successful operations are a testament to the Agency’s evolving intelligence capabilities and our unwavering commitment to choking the supply lines of drug cartels. Whether they hide behind legitimate businesses, religious titles, or complex concealment methods, we will find them”, Marwa stated.
In related operations across the country, NDLEA officers intercepted a trailer carrying 48,000 tramadol pills along Namtari Road in Yola South, Adamawa State, leading to the arrest of the driver, Abdulaziz Ismail Korede, and the intended recipient, Idris Adamu.
In Osun State, a 60-year-old woman, Idiatu Oladejo, was arrested with 15kg of skunk in Osogbo, while operatives in Ondo State recovered 351 kilogrammes of skunk and seeds during a raid in Itaogbolu forest, Akure.
Further seizures included 28,600 tramadol capsules recovered from a suspect in Benue State, and 1,378 kilogrammes of skunk uncovered during a warehouse raid in Edo State.
In Ibadan, Oyo State, a suspected drug dealer, Ayantola Omodunmomi, also known as Iya Elle, was arrested following surveillance that revealed she allegedly used her 11-year-old daughter to deliver drugs. A total of 45.6 kilogrammes of skunk was recovered from her premises.