NDLEA intercepts businessman with 6.10kg cocaine starched in shirts, towels

…Detains persons with disability in Abia, Rivers over illicit drugs

…Recovers drug consignments in Kano, Kwara, Delta, Gombe, Lagos, FCT

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), on Sunday, said its operatives arrested Abugu Okechukwu, a 41-year-old Sao Paulo, Brazil-based businessman, for importing shirts and towels impregnated with 6.10 kilograms of liquid cocaine.

Femi Babafemi, the NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, stated this in a statement, noting that the suspect who was arrested at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos imported the drug into Nigeria from a South American Country.

*Abugu was arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos, upon arrival from Brazil via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, aboard an Ethiopian Airways flight on Thursday, 11th June 2026″, he said.

He revealed that a thorough search of the suspect’s luggage led to the recovery of 14 towels and shirts, all soaked in liquid cocaine, dried and well-ironed.

Read also: NDLEA intercepts large opioids consignments in Taraba 

The NDLEA revealed further that the suspect, in his statement, claimed he had lived in Brazil for over 14 years, adding that there, he ran an African restaurant.

He added that he was in Nigeria to see his wife and buy foodstuffs in bulk for his restaurant.

The NDLEA also revealed that a 60-year-old woman, Chidimma Sunday and a 28-year-old man, Abubakar Usman, both persons living with disabilities, had been taken into NDLEA custody in Abia and Rivers States, respectively, following their involvement in the illicit drug trade.

According to the anti-narcotics agency, Chidimma was nabbed with 1.8kg skunk by the Umuosu vigilante group in Umuna Autonomous community, Isialangwa North LGA Abia state and handed over to NDLEA on Wednesday, 10th June.

“Abubakar was arrested at Rumuokoro Port Harcourt Rivers state with 400 grams of skunk, 5 grams of methamphetamine, 100 grams of tramadol, 5 grams of swinol and 18 grams of diazepam during a raid by NDLEA officers on Tuesday 9th June”, he said.

The NDLEA operatives, last week Monday, arrested a suspect, Onya Jude, 36, in possession of five gas cylinders used to conceal 2.8 kilograms of Loud, a strong strain of cannabis at Ogwashi uku, Aniocha South Area of Delta State.

“This was followed by the arrest of two notorious dealers: 40-year-old Jamilu Idris (a.k.a Jama) and 33-year-old Aminu Abdullahi (a.k.a Momo) at Kasuwan Katako area of Gombe, Gombe state. They were caught with three big blocks of skunk that weighed 2.738kg at the time of their arrest by NDLEA operatives”, Babafemi noted.

Read also: NDLEA uncovers illicit drug in imported water purifier machines

The Agency also stated that Ngozi Gaius, 39, was nabbed along Zaria/Kano road, Kano State last week Friday, conveying 6,000 pills of tramadol 225mg, two suspects: Nasiru Hamza, 47; and Muhammad Sani, 38, were intercepted by NDLEA operatives on patrol along Bode Saadu road, Kwara State, conveying 600 compressed blocks of skunk weighing 304kg in a black Toyota jeep with special registration number: P JHR 783 last week Tuesday.

“In Taraba, NDLEA officers acting on credible intelligence on Saturday, 13th June, raided the warehouse of a notorious dealer, Ali Adamu, 45, at Maihula village, Bali LGA, where 63 jumbo bags of cannabis sativa weighing 1,121.5 kilograms, were recovered”, he said.

Operatives of the Agency, also on patrol along Gwagwalada expressway, FCT Abuja, arrested Emmanuel Nnadi, 46, and seized from him assorted illicit substances, including: 30,400 pills of tramadol 225mg and 100mg; 750 pills of pregabalin 300mg; 200 pills of molly; and 592 bottles of codeine-based syrup.

A large consignment of Ghana Loud, a strain of cannabis, weighing 1,102 kilograms, was recovered around Alaba International Market, Ojo Area of Lagos on Saturday.