The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has dismantled two major drug cartels behind six cocaine consignments destined for the United Kingdom, arresting six suspects, including an alleged kingpin, Alhaji Hammed Taofeek Ode.
NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi disclosed the development in a statement on Sunday, revealing that the three-week operation began on September 16, 2025, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.
Officers intercepted 174 parcels of cocaine weighing 13.4kg, concealed in cocoa butter body cream containers. The drugs were hidden inside stainless cups, body cream, and hair gel containers.
A cargo agent linked to the shipment was arrested, leading investigators to Ode, who was later apprehended with support from the Nigeria Police. During interrogation, Ode reportedly confessed to owning the drugs, claiming he bought them for over ₦150 million. He also identified himself as a businessman and real estate developer who had lived in Europe and the UK for over 27 years before returning to Nigeria in 2024.
“In a series of intelligence-led operations across Lagos, NDLEA dismantled two major syndicates involved in cocaine trafficking to the UK,” Babafemi said. “Five suspects were arrested alongside the syndicate’s leader, Hammed Taofeek Ode.”
Additional arrests were made on October 2 when operatives intercepted two more UK-bound consignments at MMIA. Suspects Ogunbiyi Oluseye Taiwo and Popoola Francis Olumuyiwa were arrested after officers found 2.6kg of cocaine concealed in crayfish packages, stainless cups, and hair cream containers.
The NDLEA, Nigeria’s lead anti-narcotics agency, continues to combat trafficking through international routes using intelligence and advanced detection techniques.
