A 38-year-old Nigerian businessman, Philip Tunde, was arrested at Lagos airport on Sunday, 27 September, while attempting to smuggle cocaine to Italy. The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) said operatives intercepted Tunde at the joint screening point in Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, as he prepared to board a Royal Air Maroc flight to Milan.
A search of Tunde's luggage uncovered 16 parcels of a white powdery substance hidden in the soles of eight pairs of trainers and canvas shoes, along with 195 more wraps concealed in the railings of four travel bags. The substance tested positive for cocaine, with a combined weight of 4.80 kilograms. Tunde reportedly told operatives he had paid 16 million naira in cash for the drugs hidden in the shoes.
According to NDLEA, Tunde used compensation money he received after losing the tips of two fingers in an accident at a plastic manufacturing company in Italy to fund the purchase of the cocaine. The agency also reported major drug seizures and arrests in several states during the week, including the interception of container shipments of a potent cannabis strain known as "Loud" and codeine-based cough syrup at the Apapa, Tincan Island and Onne seaports.
The seizures at the seaports, valued at over 5 billion naira, followed months of surveillance on the shipments' movement from their countries of origin. In Osun State, more than 20,000 kilograms of cannabis were destroyed after a farm raid in Ife South. Separate arrests were made in Plateau, Lagos, Kogi and Edo states involving tramadol, methamphetamine, and other cannabis-based substances.
A long-wanted fugitive, Idris Mohammed Kurra, was also rearrested in Jos after evading capture for six years following a 2020 bail jump connected to a previous drug case. NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), commended the officers involved across the various commands and urged continued intelligence-led operations against drug trafficking networks nationwide.
The NDLEA's operations demonstrate the agency's efforts to curb drug trafficking in Nigeria. The arrest of Tunde and other suspects, as well as the seizures of large quantities of illicit substances, highlight the scope of the problem and the need for sustained efforts to combat it.
The cases highlight the creative ways in which drug traffickers attempt to evade detection, including using compensation money from a workplace accident to fund their activities. The NDLEA's success in intercepting these shipments and arresting suspects is a significant step in disrupting the drug trafficking networks operating in Nigeria.
Key points
- A 38-year-old Nigerian businessman was arrested at Lagos airport with 4.80kg of cocaine allegedly bound for Italy.
- The suspect used compensation money from a workplace accident to fund the purchase of the cocaine.
- The NDLEA reported major drug seizures and arrests in several states during the week, including the interception of container shipments of a potent cannabis strain and codeine-based cough syrup.
