NDLEA Busts Cocaine Cartels Behind UK Shipments, Arrests Kingpin

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) dismantled two cocaine cartels responsible for six UK-bound shipments in Lagos. In a three-week operation, six suspects, including alleged kingpin Alhaji Hammed Taofeek Ode, were arrested.

The operation began on September 16, 2025, when NDLEA officers intercepted 174 parcels of cocaine at Murtala Muhammed International Airport. Alhaji Ode, disguised as a businessman and real estate developer, was apprehended following surveillance and intelligence gathering.

The suspects admitted to their involvement in the illicit drug trade, with the seized consignment valued at N150 million. This successful operation signifies a significant blow to drug trafficking networks operating in the region.