Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has uncovered two fresh attempts by international drug trafficking syndicates to smuggle cocaine out of Nigeria, intercepting consignments cleverly concealed inside a traditional wooden mortar destined for China and the false bottom of a backpack bound for Italy. The seizures, which were made on Thursday, July 30, 2026, at a logistics company in Lagos, involved a total of 750 grams of cocaine, according to a statement released by the agency's Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, on Sunday, August 2, 2026. The operations, carried out by officers of the NDLEA’s Directorate of Operations and General Investigations (DOGI), exposed the increasingly sophisticated methods employed by drug cartels to evade detection at international shipping points.
In one of the consignments, NDLEA operatives recovered 250 grams of cocaine that had been ingeniously factory-fitted into the base of a locally made wooden mortar, a traditional household tool commonly used for pounding yams and grains in many Nigerian homes. The mortar was packaged inside a carton and prepared for export to China, with the drug hidden in a manner designed to bypass standard security screening. In a separate shipment, officers discovered another 500 grams of cocaine concealed in the false bottom of a backpack, which was hidden among lace materials and destined for Italy. The discovery of the two shipments underscores the evolving tactics of drug traffickers, who continue to exploit everyday items and legitimate export channels to move illicit substances across international borders.
NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended the officers of the DOGI for their vigilance and professionalism in intercepting the shipments, while also acknowledging the successful operations carried out by commands in Rivers, Anambra, Delta, Nasarawa, and Zamfara states. In Rivers State, NDLEA operatives arrested a 38-year-old suspect, Ugo Gift Okonkwo, at Eagle Island, Port Harcourt, following intelligence reports. The suspect was apprehended with quantities of cannabis, cocaine, methamphetamine, swinol, tramadol, and codeine syrup during an operation conducted on July 26. In Anambra State, officers on stop-and-search duty at the DMGS Roundabout in Onitsha intercepted a truck loaded with 26,000 bottles of codeine syrup weighing 3,960 kilograms, arresting the driver, Chinedu Nwanze, 40. Meanwhile, in Delta State, operatives recovered 331.84 kilograms of skunk from a Toyota Sienna bus along the Kwale-Ughelli Expressway.
In Nasarawa State, officers arrested a 64-year-old suspect, Joseph Nwaeke, with 68 kilograms of skunk and 29 grams of methamphetamine at Asso Angwan Muazu in the Karu area on July 28. In Zamfara State, NDLEA operatives on patrol along the Zaria-Gusau highway intercepted a 27-year-old suspect, Sani Umar, with 7,400 tablets of tramadol (225mg), suspected to be supplies for criminal elements operating in the region. Babafemi added that the agency also sustained its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation campaign across schools, worship centres, workplaces, and communities nationwide, including lectures for students and staff of Hausawa Special Primary School in Kano, Royal Crown School in Oluyole, Ibadan, Government Secondary School in Ibi, Taraba State, and commercial drivers at Challenge Bus Terminal Park in Ibadan.
The interception of the cocaine shipments bound for China and Italy highlights the growing challenge of drug trafficking through Nigerian ports and logistics hubs, as well as the determination of the NDLEA to disrupt the supply chains of international drug cartels. The agency's balanced approach of targeting both drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction has yielded significant results in recent months, with the NDLEA recording a series of successful operations across the country. However, the discovery of drugs concealed in everyday items such as wooden mortars and backpacks serves as a stark reminder that traffickers are constantly devising new methods to smuggle illicit substances, and that sustained vigilance, intelligence gathering, and international cooperation are essential to staying ahead of their operations.
As the NDLEA continues to intensify its crackdown on drug trafficking and abuse, the agency has urged members of the public to be vigilant and to report any suspicious activities to the nearest NDLEA office or other security agencies. The agency has also warned individuals against accepting parcels or packages from unknown persons, as they could be used as unwitting couriers for drug trafficking syndicates. The successful interception of the two cocaine shipments and the arrest of several suspects in related operations demonstrate the NDLEA's resolve to protect Nigeria's borders and international reputation, while also safeguarding the nation's youth from the devastating consequences of drug abuse. With the agency's leadership reaffirming its commitment to sustaining the momentum of its operations, the fight against illicit drugs in Nigeria remains a top priority, as the NDLEA continues to work towards a drug-free society.
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