Major Drug Bust: Cannabis Disguised as Festive Treats
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have exposed and dismantled a sophisticated drug distribution network that was using social media platforms to sell illicit substances cleverly packaged as imported Christmas cookies and snacks.
The agency arrested two masterminds behind this criminal operation during a carefully coordinated raid on their hideout located in the Lekki area of Lagos State.
Social Media Drug Ring Uncovered
According to NDLEA officials, the drug syndicate operated by Deji Adesanya and Olubiyi Majekodunmi had imported significant quantities of Canadian Loud, a potent strain of cannabis, along with various colorful designer sachets featuring pictures and labels of cookies and snacks printed on them.
These deceptive packages were specifically designed to conceal the psychoactive substance in retail quantities, making the drugs appear as harmless festive treats.
Following credible intelligence about the syndicate's activities, which primarily operated and distributed through a WhatsApp platform, NDLEA operatives conducted a raid on Saturday, November 22, 2025.
The operation targeted their apartment at Ojulari Street in the Ikate area of Lekki, where authorities recovered a substantial quantity of the designer sachets and five kilogrammes of Canadian Loud at the point of arrest.
Nationwide Anti-Drug Operations
In a separate operation in Lagos, NDLEA agents arrested 38-year-old drug kingpin Philip Ucheka on Thursday, November 27, while he was taking delivery of 110 pouches of Canadian Loud weighing 55.6kg at the Ladipo area of Mushin.
During his arrest, three delivery vehicles used in his operations were also seized by authorities.
The agency intercepted additional drug shipments through courier services, including 100 grammes of Loud concealed inside a teddy bear imported from Thailand on November 27.
The following day, at another logistics firm, officials discovered 548 capsules of tramadol hidden in bottles of Vitamin C and Magnesium that were destined for the United Kingdom.
Multi-State Crackdown Continues
NDLEA's nationwide operations extended to Oyo State, where officers on patrol along the Lagos/Ibadan expressway on Saturday apprehended suspect Wasiu Kareem, 55, with substantial quantities of various drugs including:
- 8,000 ampoules of pentazocine injection
- 590 bottles of codeine syrup
- 1,500 pills of Co-codamol
- 9,900 capsules of tramadol
In Ondo State, approximately seven suspects were arrested on Monday, November 24, when NDLEA operatives raided the Ipe forest in Akoko South-East area, recovering 3,077 kilogrammes of skunk, another strain of cannabis.
Those arrested in the Ondo operation include: John Ede, Ede Ndubuisi, Ikenna Abe, Eze Chukwuma, Maduabuchi Odo, Nnaji Chudubem and George Okowor.
Additional significant arrests and seizures occurred across multiple states:
- Anthony Sylvester, 49 was arrested along Okene/Lokoja highway in Kogi State on Wednesday, November 26, transporting 649kg of skunk in a truck
- NDLEA officers at the Seme Special Area Command arrested Abubakar Shuaibu, 33, with 487 blocks of skunk weighing 243.5kg during a warehouse raid at Ashipa, Seme border area of Badagry, Lagos
- In Kano, Tsalha Alasan, 47 was arrested along Zaria/Kano road with 137kg of skunk on November 24
- Three suspects: Godspower Appeal, 50; Ernest Upong, 55; and Godday Chukwudi, 38 were apprehended in Bauchi State with 322 blocks of skunk weighing 209kg
- A black Toyota Highlander jeep marked ABJ 533 EA used for transporting the consignment was recovered
Weapons and Additional Arrests
The crackdown also netted dangerous weapons alongside drug seizures. A couple identified as Abdullahi Abubakar, 45, and Jamila Abdullahi, 35 were arrested along Abuja/Kaduna highway with 725 rounds of 7.62 mm live ammunition concealed in a sack of maize.
Another suspect, Awwal Sabiu, 20, was caught with 400 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition at Abuja/Kaduna tollgate on Friday.
Additional arrests included John Ekojo, 51, who was apprehended with 210.15kg of skunk along Abuja/Jos highway on Saturday.
Agency Leadership Commends Success
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig-Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (rtd), praised the officers and personnel from DOGI, Lagos, Ondo, Oyo, Kogi, Kaduna, Kano, Seme and Bauchi commands for their successful operations.
Marwa encouraged them and their colleagues across Nigeria to maintain the ongoing balanced approach to the agency's drug control efforts, emphasizing the importance of continued vigilance and proactive operations against drug trafficking networks.
The series of coordinated operations demonstrate NDLEA's strengthened capacity to disrupt sophisticated drug distribution networks operating through both physical and digital channels across Nigeria.
