Monday, August 17, 2026 - A 48-year-old businessman, Nwankwo Innocent Onyebuchi, has been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, while allegedly attempting to travel to New Delhi, India, with 1.550 kilograms of cocaine concealed in his luggage.
Onyebuchi, who deals in marbles in Lagos, was arrested at
the departure hall of Terminal II of the airport while preparing to board a
Qatar Airways flight to New Delhi.
According to the statement by NDLEA, the cocaine was
cleverly concealed within the side walls and railings of his check-in bag.
The agency said the arrest was made as part of its
operations against the illegal drug trade.
During interrogation, Onyebuchi reportedly disclosed that he
had sold his marble business and every asset he owned to raise the sum of ₦23
million which he paid for the cocaine consignment.
He was allegedly hoping to sell the drugs in India for as
much as ₦100 million.
With the arrest, the businessman’s plan to make quick money
from the illicit drug trade was brought to an end. He remains in custody and is
awaiting prosecution.
The NDLEA also reported the seizure of a large quantity of
codeine-based syrup in another operation carried out in Lagos.
Operatives acting on credible intelligence raided a
warehouse located within a residential compound at 20 Hakeem Dosumu Street, Ago
Palace area of Okota, Lagos.
The operation, conducted between Friday, August 7 and
Saturday, August 8, 2026, resulted in the seizure of 3,776 cartons containing
377,600 bottles of the controlled substance.
The recovered codeine-based syrup was valued at more than ₦2.6
billion.
In another intelligence-led operation in Lagos, NDLEA
operatives raided the residence of a 55-year-old alleged drug kingpin, Shoremi
Kayode, at 37 Ogundare Street, Ipaja Estate, Ipaja area of Lagos.
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