Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have uncovered a sophisticated drug trafficking network that concealed cocaine in tins of palm kernel oil destined for the United Kingdom.
The breakthrough followed a three-week intelligence-led operation, resulting in the arrest of the syndicate’s leader and the recovery of hundreds of modified tins prepared for drug concealment.
The operation began on March 11, 2026, at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, where officers intercepted 3.10 kilograms of cocaine hidden inside tins of palm kernel extract at the export shed. The shipment was disguised as a legitimate export.
Two suspects linked to the consignment, Idris Olayiwola Amoo and Akinlami Akinsoji Adedoyin, were apprehended at the scene. A follow-up operation on April 2 led to the arrest of the sender, Ezemuwo Joel, who had been using a false identity. This led investigators to the alleged mastermind, 52-year-old King Arinze, who was later captured at a hideout in Isolo, Lagos.
At Arinze’s warehouse in Bucknor, officers uncovered 886 tins of palm kernel oil modified for drug concealment, along with industrial tools such as sealing machines, tin openers, and paint sprays. Small quantities of cannabis and related materials were also seized. Arinze admitted to personally managing the concealment process.
NDLEA officials emphasized that the case highlights a growing trend of traffickers exploiting legitimate exports to evade detection, underlining the agency’s strengthened intelligence capabilities.
In other operations across the country, NDLEA seized 48,000 tramadol pills in Adamawa, 15 kilograms of skunk in Osun, 351 kilograms of skunk in Ondo, 28,600 tramadol capsules in Benue, 1,378 kilograms of skunk in Edo, and 45.6 kilograms of skunk in Oyo from a dealer who involved her minor daughter in deliveries.
The agency reiterated its commitment to dismantling drug supply networks, noting that traffickers often use legitimate businesses, false identities, and complex concealment methods to hide illicit substances.
