NDLEA arrests convicted trafficker and seizes massive drug consignments

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has conducted a series of coordinated operations across nine Nigerian states, resulting in major drug seizures and the arrest of a repeat offender.

In Lagos, authorities arrested 34-year-old Dunu Bethel Ebubechukwu, a convicted trafficker who allegedly used a herbal tea business as a front. The arrest followed the interception of 1.2kg of cocaine concealed within phone chargers destined for Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Ebubechukwu, who previously served a five-year sentence for drug trafficking in 2011, reportedly changed his name to evade detection.

In Ondo State, NDLEA operatives intercepted a 20,000-litre fuel tanker on the Akoko/Lokoja expressway. The vehicle contained a concealed compartment holding 2,145kg of cannabis. The driver abandoned the vehicle and fled during the pursuit.

Additional seizures included approximately 966,200 Tramadol tablets valued at over N1.1 billion, which were found concealed among second-hand clothing imported from Pakistan. The agency also recovered 57.8kg of a synthetic cannabis strain known as ‘Loud’ hidden in shipments from Singapore, alongside various quantities of methamphetamine and other psychotropic substances.