The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it has dismantled two major drug cartels responsible for six separate cocaine consignments bound for the United Kingdom.
The NDLEA, Nigeria’s lead anti-narcotics agency, has over the years intercepted multiple high-profile drug shipments destined for the UK and other countries, often concealed in creative ways to evade detection.
The latest operations, conducted over a three-week period across Lagos, led to the arrest of six suspects, including the alleged kingpin, Alhaji Hammed Ode.
According to a statement issued on Sunday by the agency’s spokesman, Femi Babafemi, the first breakthrough came on September 16, 2025, when NDLEA operatives at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, intercepted 174 parcels of cocaine weighing 13.4 kilograms hidden in cocoa butter body cream containers.
He stated that the syndicates concealed the narcotics in stainless cups, body cream, and hair gel containers, adding that a cargo agent was arrested, and subsequent investigations linked the consignment to Ode, who was later apprehended with the cooperation of the police.
Babafemi said Ode confessed during interrogation that he owned the drugs, which he claimed to have bought for over ₦150 million.
“In series of intelligence-led operations that lasted over three weeks across Lagos, operatives of the NDLEA have successfully dismantled two major drug cartels behind six different consignments of cocaine concealed in walls of stainless cups, body cream and hair gel containers, leading to the arrest of five suspects and ultimately the arrowhead of the syndicate, Hammed Taofeek Ode who parades as a businessman and real estate developer.
“The beginning of the end of the criminal syndicate’s operations began on 16th September 2025, when NDLEA operatives at the export shed of the MMIA, Ikeja, Lagos, intercepted 174 parcels of cocaine weighing 13.40 kilograms concealed in walls of cocoa butter body cream containers.
“A cargo agent was promptly arrested. Further investigations revealed Alhaji Hammed Taofeek Ode as the mastermind of the shipment, and after weeks of intelligence, it was established that the drug baron had reported a dispute at the Zone 2 headquarters of the Police in Lagos, after which the Agency sought the cooperation of the police to get the suspect into custody.”
Babafemi added that during questioning, Ode admitted to being the owner of the drugs.
“During his preliminary interview, Alhaji Hammed Ode admitted ownership of the consignment, which he claimed he bought at over N150 million. He claimed to be a businessman and estate developer following his return from the United Kingdom in 2024. He had lived for over 27 years in many European countries, including Austria, the Netherlands, France, Germany, and Saudi Arabia, before settling in the UK.”
Two other suspects, Ogunbiyi Taiwo and Popoola Olumuyiwa, were also arrested after NDLEA officers intercepted additional consignments containing crayfish and stainless cups used to hide 2.6 kilograms of cocaine.
“Two other cocaine laden consignments going to the UK were also intercepted by NDLEA operatives at the export shed of the MMIA on Thursday, 2nd October. Two suspects, Ogunbiyi Oluseye Taiwo and Popoola Francis Olumuyiwa, linked to the seizures were promptly arrested. One of the consignments contains crayfish, and 12 pieces of stainless cups used to conceal 1.00kg of cocaine, while the second consignment also contains crayfish, and 36 containers of hair cream used to conceal 1.60kg of cocaine.”
In a separate operation, Babafemi said the NDLEA foiled an attempt to smuggle 6.3 kilograms of Loud — a potent strain of cannabis — concealed in bedsheets and hibiscus flowers from Thailand.
“The bid by another criminal gang to smuggle into Lagos 6.3 kilograms of Loud, a strong strain of cannabis concealed in bedsheet and hibiscus flower from Thailand was equally thwarted by NDLEA operatives attached to some courier companies, while a joint operation between NDLEA officers and Customs Service personnel at a check point along Danbatta-Daura road, Kano, on Thursday 2nd October led to the arrest of 38-year-old Sa’adu Ali and seizure of 290,450 pills of tramadol 250mg and pregabalin capsules.”
In Lagos, NDLEA operatives arrested a notorious drug dealer, John Igbe, popularly known as SammyBless, with 550 grams of Colorado, a synthetic strain of cannabis.
“In Lagos, a notorious drug dealer, John Igbe, operating under the nickname: SammyBless, to distribute illicit drugs in Lekki and Ajah axis, was on Tuesday, 30th September, arrested at Admiralty road, Lekki. At the time of his arrest, 550 grams of Colorado, a synthetic strain of cannabis, packaged in retail plastic cups, were recovered from him. Three other suspects: Idris Lukman, Fuad Abdulsalam and Mobolaji James were nabbed same day in the Mushin area of the state, with 109kg of skunk, 20 bottles of codeine syrup and 2kg of nitrous oxide seized from them. At the Trade Fair Complex, Alaba area of the state, 3,700 bottles of codeine syrup and 550,000 caplets of expired 225mg diclofenac were recovered.
“While a total of 27,700 pills of tramadol 100mg/225mg were seized from a suspect, Salisu Abubakar, 25, at Bode Saadu, Morro LGA, Kwara state on Monday, 29th September, Blessing Ovaka, 50, was caught with 498.5kg skunk at Kudandan, Chukun LGA, Kaduna, same day, just as Dahiru Salisu, 27, was arrested in possession of 34,180 capsules of tramadol at Gwargwaje along Kaduna–Zaria road on Thursday, 2nd October.”