05, April 2026
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has uncovered a sophisticated international drug trafficking operation where cocaine was concealed in tins of palm kernel oil bound for the United Kingdom.
The breakthrough came on March 11, 2026, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, where NDLEA officers intercepted 3.10 kilograms of cocaine hidden inside tins of palm kernel extract at the export shed.
The consignment, disguised as a legitimate export, was destined for the UK.
The concealment method was deliberate and meticulous, with traffickers draining the oil content from the tins to create space for the illicit substance before resealing them for export.
Two suspects, Idris Olayiwola Amoo and Akinlami Akinsoji Adedoyin, were arrested at the scene.
A follow-up sting operation led to the arrest of the sender, Ezemuwo Joel, and eventually the alleged mastermind, 52-year-old King Arinze.
At Arinze’s warehouse, NDLEA operatives recovered:
– 886 tins of palm kernel oil prepared for drug concealment
– Industrial tools, including sealing machines, tin openers, and paint sprays
– Small quantities of cannabis and other materials linked to the operation
Arinze admitted to orchestrating the concealment process.
The NDLEA chairman, Mohamed Buba Marwa, praised the operation, stating it highlights the agency’s strengthened intelligence capabilities and resolve to dismantle drug supply chains.
Other NDLEA operations include:
– Intercepting 48,000 pills of tramadol in Adamawa state
– Arresting a suspect with 15kg of skunk in Osun state
– Recovering 351 kilograms of skunk and its seeds in Ondo state
– Seizing 28,600 capsules of tramadol in Benue state
– Arresting a suspect with 1,378 kilograms of skunk in Edo state
– Arresting a notorious drug dealer, Ayantola Omodunmomi, with 45.6kg of skunk in Oyo state
