The Nationwide Drug Regulation Enforcement Company (NDLEA) has dismantled a global organized legal group (IOCG) working between Nigeria, the UK, Brazil, Australia, and the United Arab Emirates.
The company arrested three of its leaders in Lagos after intercepting a cocaine consignment value N5.3 billion, hid in textile supplies and native charms.
The 2-week intelligence-led operation throughout elements of Lagos was disclosed in an announcement on Sunday by NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi.
In line with Babafemi, three leaders of the cartel had been arrested after operatives intercepted a big consignment of cocaine hid in textile supplies and native charms destined for Sydney, Australia, on the Murtala Muhammed Worldwide Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.
“The unraveling of the drug syndicate started on Tuesday, twenty sixth August 2025, after NDLEA officers on the export shed of the Lagos airport intercepted 76 cartons of textile supplies going to Sydney, Australia.
“An intensive search of the cargo led to the restoration of 16 massive blocks of cocaine weighing 17.9 kilograms hidden within the lace supplies full of native charms to supply religious cowl in opposition to legislation enforcement detection,” Babafemi defined.
A freight agent and member of the syndicate, Olashupo Michael Oladimeji, was the primary to be arrested.
“The consignment was anticipated to fetch the syndicate an estimated avenue worth of over 5.3 million Australian {Dollars}, equal to N5.3 billion,” Babafemi said.
Cartel leaders unmasked
Babafemi famous that fast-paced investigation of the operations of the IOCG shortly unmasked different leaders of the group: Muaezee Ademola Ogunbiyi and Shola Adegoke.
In line with him, “Ogunbiyi, who’s the arrowhead of the syndicate in Nigeria, was arrested at a lodge in Ikeja GRA on Wednesday, third September.
He was swiftly taken to his home within the Lekki space of Lagos, the place a search led to the restoration of 21 parcels of Canadian Loud, a pressure of hashish with a complete weight of 10.90kg, and a double-barreled pump-action gun with some cartridges.”
He added {that a} home positioned at 13 Reverend Ogunbiyi Road, Ikeja GRA, which the legal group used to package deal illicit medicine for export, was subsequently raided, and one other chief of the syndicate, Shola Adegoke,was arrested there.
“A black Vary Rover SUV marked RBC 459 EJ discovered within the compound was searched and 17 parcels of Loud weighing 9.60 kilograms had been recovered, whereas a black Toyota Venza automobile with registration quantity FST 771 JQ was earlier recovered from Ogunbiyi on the level of his arrest on the lodge,” Babafemi defined.
Abroad kingpin and legal data
The NDLEA spokesman additional disclosed: “Investigations revealed that whereas Ogunbiyi coordinates operations for the group in Nigeria, one Adebisi Ademola Omoyele (Mr. Bee), who’s at the moment hibernating in Dubai, UAE, is recognized because the ringleader of the legal community who coordinates their abroad operations.”
Babafemi additionally famous that Adegoke was discovered to have been jailed within the UK in 2021 for dealing in methamphetamine and deported to Nigeria in 2024, whereas Ogunbiyi had served a 14-year jail time period within the UK over a homicide case earlier than returning to Nigeria about eight years in the past.
Nationwide raids and seizures
The NDLEA assertion additionally highlighted a number of different raids and arrests nationwide throughout the similar week:
Lagos Airport: On Friday, fifth September, a Milan-based Nigerian, Gabriel Michael, was arrested with 24,480 tramadol tablets whereas trying to board an Air France flight to Italy.
Port Harcourt: On Thursday, 4th September, 160,200 bottles of codeine-based syrup value over N1.1 billion had been found in a 40ft container at Onne Port, hidden amongst ceramic sanitary wares.
FCT Abuja: On 4th September, a dispatch rider, Joel Bernard (32), was arrested in Gwarimpa with 3.1kg Colorado hashish.
Lagos: On 1st September, operatives arrested Tunde Ayinla (47) and Olawale Omotare (54) with 625kg of hashish variants at their residence in Surulere.
Ajegunle, Lagos: On fifth September, a pair, Andy David (43) and Andy Esther (44), had been arrested with 24.4kg of skunk.
Kogi State: Musa Isah (45) was caught with 53.4kg of skunk in his car.
Edo State: Yunusa Zakari (23) was arrested in Auchi in reference to an earlier seizure of 233kg skunk in Kaduna.
Anambra State: Ayouk Nelson (28) was arrested on third September in Onitsha with 11,000 tramadol tablets.
Niger State: On 2nd September, NDLEA intercepted a Toyota Hilux carrying 342kg skunk alongside Minna-Bida street, arresting the motive force, Afolayan Ayodele (54).
Taraba State: On 2nd September, operatives destroyed 18,750kg of hashish cultivated on 7.5 hectares of farmland in Joro-Ade village, arresting farm homeowners Mako Zmar (55) and Sani Titus (45).
Again story
- In a latest growth reported by Nairametrics, the Oyo State Command of the Nationwide Drug Regulation Enforcement Company (NDLEA) introduced that it arrested 280 suspects and secured 43 convictions for offences associated to drug trafficking and illicit dealing between January and August 2025.
- In line with the company, the arrests lower throughout traffickers, sellers, and customers of narcotics and psychotropic substances, reflecting intensified enforcement efforts throughout the state.
- The command disclosed that the suspects comprised 246 males and 34 females, aged between 13 and 50 years.
- It additional famous that 43 convictions had been secured throughout the interval beneath overview.
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