In a major operation, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) recently intercepted N4.4 billion worth of cocaine hidden in an Ethiopian Airlines aircraft at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos. The agency successfully blocked a sophisticated smuggling attempt led by an international drug ring operating between Brazil, Ethiopia, and Nigeria.

The bust happened on October 29, 2024, after Ethiopian Airlines flight ET900 arrived in Lagos from Addis Ababa. During the post-landing clean-up, cleaning staff discovered suspicious items in two lavatories at the rear of the plane. NDLEA officers were alerted and found 845 packages of cocaine weighing a total of 18.72 kilograms. The seized drugs had been hidden inside waste bins in the lavatories and carefully wrapped in nine polythene bags.

NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, shared that over 30 suspects have already been questioned in connection to this case. Investigations revealed that couriers had transported the drugs from Brazil to Ethiopia by ingesting the packages. Once in Ethiopia, the drugs were excreted and handed to other traffickers, who attempted to smuggle them into Nigeria on the flight to Lagos. This coordinated effort by NDLEA, Ethiopian Airlines, and airport authorities prevented the drugs from entering the Nigerian market.

In another operation on October 28, NDLEA agents foiled attempts to ship 2.928 kilograms of cocaine, cannabis, and tramadol to Australia, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom. These drugs had been hidden in body cream containers and art pieces sent through courier companies in Lagos. The Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI) stopped the parcels before they could be exported.

NDLEA’s recent successes show their commitment to fighting drug trafficking and protecting communities in Nigeria. Each successful interception is a step toward weakening organized drug networks and keeping dangerous substances off the streets.