The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has announced the interception of parcels of illicit drugs concealed within a specially constructed compartment of a bus.
NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi shared details of the operation in a post on X on Sunday, revealing how the sophisticated concealment methods were designed to evade detection and smuggle illegal substances across international borders.
He also shared videos showcasing the seized contraband, emphasizing the complexity of the trafficking methods. Babafemi stated, “Thanks to the intelligence and professionalism of #ndlea_nigeria officers, who could have imagined that a vehicle’s bumper needed to be removed to uncover a specially constructed compartment in the belly of a bus solely designed for trafficking drugs across borders? Another cartel dismantled!”
The operation led to the arrest of four suspects in a series of intelligence-led actions. During the operation, agents recovered multi-million-naira worth of tramadol pills concealed in the bumpers and false bottoms of two Sienna buses headed for border towns.
According to Babafemi, the arrests were the result of weeks of surveillance and intelligence gathering by the NDLEA’s Directorate of Intelligence. Two of the suspects, Zahradeen Adamu (27) and Abubakar Usman (44), were apprehended in a vehicle traveling from Onitsha, Anambra state, on its way to Yola, Adamawa state.
A second Sienna bus, driven by Abba Usman (48), was also intercepted. Upon inspection of both vehicles, NDLEA officers discovered specially constructed steel compartments hidden behind the rear bumpers. A total of 190,960 tramadol pills were found concealed within the spaces designed to hold spare tires.
Investigations revealed that Kingsley Mbaeri, an Onitsha-based drug dealer, was the supplier of the seized tramadol consignment. A follow-up operation led to Mbaeri’s arrest at his residence on Uga Street in Onitsha on January 29. Authorities also recovered two vehicles: a Toyota Corolla (FGG 948 MF) and a Toyota Sienna (GWA 23 HH) from his property.
The NDLEA continues its efforts to dismantle drug trafficking networks and prevent the illegal transportation of narcotics across the country’s borders.
Watch video below:
— Punch Newspapers (@MobilePunch) February 16, 2025
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have intercepted parcels of illicit drugs concealed in a specially constructed compartment of a bus.
The… pic.twitter.com/3OIYKllFsC
