The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 38-year-old businessman, Philip Tunde, attempting to smuggle 4.8 kilogrammes of cocaine to Milan, Italy, with the illicit substance concealed in the soles of shoes and the railings of travel bags.
The arrest was part of a series of nationwide anti-drug operations that also led to the interception of drug consignments worth more than N5 billion at seaports in Lagos and Rivers states, the destruction of over 20 tonnes of cannabis in Osun State and the recovery of various illicit substances across several states. 
Tunde was arrested on Sunday, September 27, 2026, at the joint screening point of Terminal 2 at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos, while preparing to board a Royal Air Maroc flight to Milan.
A detailed search by NDLEA operatives uncovered 16 parcels of cocaine concealed in the soles of eight pairs of trainers and canvas shoes, alongside 195 wraps of the same substance hidden in the railings of four travel bags.
The seized drugs, which tested positive for cocaine, weighed a total of 4.8kg.
During interrogation, the suspect reportedly claimed he had paid N16 million in cash for the cocaine hidden in the shoes. He also disclosed that the consignment concealed in the travel bags was intended for delivery to his business partner in Italy.
Tunde allegedly said he raised the money from compensation he received following an industrial accident at a plastic manufacturing company in Italy, where he lost the tips of two fingers.
NDLEA intercepts N5bn drug shipments at Lagos, Onne ports
In a major crackdown on international drug trafficking networks, NDLEA operatives at the Apapa, Tincan Island and Onne seaports intercepted multiple consignments of cannabis, codeine-based cough syrup and other illicit substances valued at more than N5 billion.
At the Apapa Port in Lagos, officers acting on intelligence subjected two containers shipped from Bangkok, Thailand, to a 100 per cent physical examination alongside Nigeria Customs Service personnel and other stakeholders.
The operation, which yielded results on September 3, led to the discovery of 161 parcels of Thai Loud, weighing 124kg and valued at N372 million.
The cannabis was cleverly concealed inside two refrigerators and two cartons.
At the Onne Port in Rivers State, NDLEA operatives, working with Customs and other security agencies, searched two containers placed under surveillance following intelligence reports.
The examination uncovered 40 packs of Loud weighing 22kg, hidden in a travel bag and inside three vehicles — a Toyota Matrix, Toyota Corolla and Hyundai Elantra — among five vehicles shipped in one of the containers.
The second container contained 109,600 bottles of codeine-based cough syrup weighing 16,440kg.
Investigators discovered that the container had been shipped from India to Saudi Arabia, where its origin history was allegedly altered to evade detection before the consignment was moved onward.
The seized Loud and codeine consignments at Onne were estimated to have a combined street value of N833.2 million.
Meanwhile, another major seizure was recorded at the Tincan Island Port in Lagos on Tuesday, September 29, following a joint examination of a container from Montreal, Canada, which had been placed on the agency’s watch list.
The operation led to the recovery of 2,595 parcels of Canadian Loud weighing 1,297.5kg and valued at more than N3.8 billion.
The cannabis was concealed inside a Toyota Sienna and a Hyundai Elantra, alongside 24 blue drums and six jumbo bags found in the container.
NDLEA destroys 20 tonnes of cannabis in Osun forest
In Osun State, NDLEA operatives destroyed 20,234kg of cannabis, popularly known as skunk, during an operation targeting an extensive cannabis plantation covering 8.0936 hectares in
