The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has dismantled two major drug cartels responsible for multiple cocaine shipments to the United Kingdom, following weeks of intelligence-led operations across Lagos. The crackdown led to the arrest of several suspects, including the syndicates’ alleged leader, Alhaji Hammed Taofeek Ode.
The operations began on September 16, 2025, when NDLEA officers at Murtala Muhammed International Airport intercepted 174 parcels of cocaine weighing 13.40 kilograms, hidden inside cocoa butter containers. Further investigations linked the shipment to Ode, who had posed as a businessman and real estate developer. After weeks of surveillance, he was taken into custody, admitting ownership of the consignment worth over ₦150 million.
Another syndicate was also busted after NDLEA officers uncovered several UK-bound consignments concealed in everyday items like hair cream and stainless cups. This led to the arrest of Smith David Korede, a furniture maker, and other accomplices including Ogunbiyi Oluseye Taiwo and Popoola Francis Olumuyiwa. Their attempts to smuggle cocaine through airport cargo sheds were intercepted in multiple seizures between September 26 and October 2.
In addition to cocaine, NDLEA operatives stopped other smuggling attempts. These included the seizure of 6.3 kilograms of cannabis imported from Thailand, 290,450 tramadol and pregabalin pills in Kano, and thousands of bottles of codeine syrup in Lagos. Several dealers were arrested across different states, with large-scale drug farms also destroyed in Osun and Edo.
Among the high-profile arrests was that of notorious dealer John Igbe, known as “SammyBless,” caught distributing synthetic cannabis in the Lekki and Ajah areas of Lagos. Meanwhile, in other operations, huge consignments of skunk and codeine syrup were seized, along with multiple arrests in Kwara, Kaduna, Ogun, Kogi, and the Federal Capital Territory.
NDLEA Chairman Brig. Gen. Mohamed Marwa (Rtd) praised the operations, stating that they send a strong message to cartels that the agency will not relent until drug trafficking networks are eliminated. “Every arrest, seizure, and assets forfeited signify lives saved and communities protected,” he said.
The series of coordinated operations highlight NDLEA’s determination to cripple drug trafficking rings, safeguard public health, and disrupt international narcotics networks.