NDLEA Intercepts ₦6.2 Billion Worth of Illicit Drugs at Lagos Airport
Anti-narcotics operatives say they intercepted a large consignment of Captagon and millions of opioid tablets at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, with one suspected cross-border trafficker arrested.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it has intercepted illicit drug consignments valued at more than ₦6.2 billion at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos. The seizures included Captagon tablets, sometimes referred to in media reports as the “Jihadi drug,” as well as millions of opioid tablets.
According to the agency, one operation led to the arrest of a 49-year-old suspected cross-border drug trafficker who arrived in Lagos from Accra, Ghana. NDLEA officers reportedly discovered 47,200 Captagon pills concealed inside blocks of locally made bathing soap. The agency estimated the value of the consignment at more than ₦1.5 billion and said investigations were continuing.
In a separate operation at the airport, NDLEA said it recovered more than 3.9 million tablets of other controlled medicines from abandoned import consignments. The agency placed the estimated street value of those drugs at over ₦4.6 billion. The consignments were reportedly placed under surveillance before being formally examined with other relevant authorities.
The seizure highlights the continued challenge of international drug trafficking through major transport hubs. Nigerian authorities said the operation involved cooperation between the NDLEA, the Nigeria Customs Service and other stakeholders as investigations continue into the origin and intended destination of the consignments.
The NDLEA’s latest operation is one of the largest reported airport drug seizures in recent months and underscores the agency’s focus on intercepting suspected trafficking networks. Authorities are expected to continue investigations to identify other individuals who may be connected to the consignments.
