NDLEA arrests drug kingpin in Lagos hideout, seizes cocaine concealed in Palm Kernel oil cans
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have uncovered a major drug trafficking operation involving cocaine concealed in palm kernel oil cans and arrested a suspected kingpin in Lagos.
The agency said the discovery followed weeks of intelligence gathering, leading to the interception of cocaine hidden inside tins of palm kernel oil at the export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport.
Investigations into the shipment led to the arrest of two suspects linked to the consignment, before operatives tracked down the sender, who was allegedly operating under a false identity. Further operations eventually exposed the alleged mastermind behind the syndicate.
The suspect, identified as a 52-year-old kingpin, was arrested at his hideout in the Isolo area of Lagos.
NDLEA operatives subsequently raided his warehouse in the Bucknor area, where they uncovered hundreds of empty palm kernel oil cans prepared for drug concealment, along with sealing machines and other equipment used in the operation.
According to the agency, traffickers drained the oil from the tins, inserted cocaine, and resealed them to appear as legitimate export products bound for overseas destinations.
Other illicit substances and materials linked to the operation were also recovered during the raid, as investigators worked to dismantle the wider network.
Reacting to the development, NDLEA Chairman, Mohamed Buba Marwa, said:
“These successful operations are a testament to the Agency’s evolving intelligence capabilities and our unwavering commitment to choking the supply lines of drug cartels. Whether they hide behind legitimate businesses, religious titles, or complex concealment methods, we will find them.”
The agency noted that the case highlights the growing trend of drug traffickers exploiting legitimate export goods to evade detection, warning that it remains committed to intensifying efforts to disrupt such networks.
