Nigerian Authorities Foil International Drug Trafficking Attempts

Officers of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) confiscated at least 250 grams of cocaine destined for Cyprus, hidden in the soles of custom-made shoes, according to Femi Babafemi, the agency’s Director of Media & Advocacy.

In addition to the cocaine, authorities also seized a variety of other substances, including opioids, tramadol, pentazocine injections, morphine sulfate, and ketamine injections.

Apart from the drugs hidden in shoes, “over five kilograms of opioids heading to the U.S. and U.K. were discovered… in clothes and other household items meant to be shipped through courier firms in Lagos,” Babafemi said.

At one of the logistics companies, operatives uncovered a shipment of 440 grams of Loud, a potent synthetic strain of cannabis, en route from Canada to Lagos. In a separate operation, NDLEA agents intercepted a vehicle carrying 3,000 pills (225 mg each) of tramadol cleverly hidden inside custard containers.

According to the NDLEA, drug trafficking poses a greater threat than banditry and insurgency, impacting communities and countries worldwide.

In 2021, the agency launched the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) initiative to combat the alarming rates of drug use and trafficking among youths.

Through WADA, the agency promotes an anti-drug culture that revolves around early detection and intervention with the country’s youths.

Since its launch, WADA has actively spearheaded campaigns to dissuade youths and children from using illicit substances. The initiative has leveraged diverse awareness platforms to engage the public and foster collaboration against the drug scourge.

Since 2021, the NDLEA has conducted 6,423 outreach programs aimed at students, along with 987 programs for out-of-school youths, to raise awareness about the dangers of drug use.