Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted consignments of cocaine hidden inside lipstick tubes and property title documents, destined for the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia.
The illegal drugs were discovered on Thursday, July 3, 2025, during a routine inspection of outgoing cargo at a courier company in Lagos. The seizure was carried out by officers from the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI) assigned to the logistics facility.
In a statement, Femi Babafemi, NDLEA’s spokesperson, said a total of 420grams of cocaine factory fitted in 84 pieces of female lipsticks heading to the UK were seized, while 280grams of the same Class A drug were uncovered in a property title document (Certificate of Occupancy, C of O) being sent to Saudi Arabia.
A notorious drug kingpin, Ajetsibo Emami, popularly known as ‘Warri Kinsman’ and reportedly related to Ayiri Emami, was arrested on Saturday, June 28, in Ikeja, Lagos, following a three-day operation by NDLEA operatives that dismantled his drug trafficking network.
The operation also led to the arrest of three additional suspects. Seized from the network were 24 large bags containing 681 pouches of Canadian Loud — a potent strain of cannabis — with a total weight of 414.2 kilograms.
The bust of Emami’s drug ring followed credible intelligence on his attempt to move the shipment to Lekki area of Lagos, from where it will be distributed to other parts of the state and across the country.
A businessman, Ajah Johnson Uchenna, and his wife, Rosemary Uchenna, along with their two daughters: Stella Uchenna and Ngozi Uchenna as well as their family friend Okoro Elijah have been taken into custody after investigation revealed they run a major illicit drug distribution network in Lagos. The couple was first arrested on Friday 13th June by operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS) in Ojo area of the state and transferred to NDLEA along with 277.5kg skunk.
While they were still being investigated in custody, credible intelligence revealed that the family business was going on in his house. This led to a raid of their home and a packing store where 231kg of same substance was recovered on Tuesday 1st July. Three persons arrested during the raid include their two daughters: Ngozi Uchenna and Blessing Uchenna as well as their family friend Okoro Elijah, who were running the family business in the absence of the couple.
Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA Ikeja Lagos on Wednesday 2nd July intercepted a frequent flyer Aburemi Hysent who specialises in conveying goods for customers from Nigeria to Italy and vice versa. He was found to have hidden 7,660 pills of tramadol 225mg and 200mg inside food items packed among other goods he was conveying to Italy. He claimed he was to be paid the sum of 800 euros upon successful delivery of the drug consignment in Italy.
In another interdiction operation at the Lagos airport, a total of 52 pieces of the travelers cheques concealed in children books, worth 17,700,000 Australian dollars, going to Malaysia through Istanbul on a Turkish Airlines flight were on Friday 4th July intercepted by NDLEA operatives at the export shed of the airport while a freight agent, Bolarinwa Saheed has been arrested. The travelers cheques suspected to be counterfeit and the suspect will be transferred to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for further investigation.
