The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency during the previous week intensified its crackdown on drug trafficking, raiding a Lagos hotel, intercepting international consignments concealed in food items, and apprehending a long-wanted drug kingpin.

During one of the operations, 60-year-old Okpara Chigozie, a major drug cartel leader who had evaded arrest since 2019, was nabbed.

A statement by the NDLEA’s spokesman, Femi Babafemi, on Sunday, said operatives nabbed him at his hideout on Michael Ojo Street, Isheri, Ojo, Lagos, following the interception of a white Toyota Sienna van carrying his illicit cargo.

Babafemi said the vehicle, heading to Onitsha, Anambra State, was stopped at Ilasamaja on the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway at about 5:45 am on Sunday, July 13.

“Operatives of a special operations unit of the NDLEA have arrested a wanted 60-year-old drug kingpin, Okpara Paul Chigozie, ending seven years of evading the long arm of the law, even as he was caught attempting to ship large quantities of cocaine and methamphetamine to the Southeast and other parts of the country.

“Okpara who has been on the wanted list of NDLEA since 2019 was eventually nabbed at his hideout at 72 Micheal Ojo Street, Isheri in Ojo area of Lagos state on Sunday 13th July 2025 following the interception of some of his consignments at 5:45 am same day at Ilasamaja along Apapa-Oshodi expressway, ” the statement partly read.

Babafemi said a search conducted with sniffer dogs uncovered 7.6Kg of cocaine and 900 grams of methamphetamine hidden in body compartments, adding that the driver, Achebe Nnamdi, 51, has been arrested.

He said, “In the early morning operation, a team of NDLEA officers acting on credible intelligence arrested one of Okparas couriers, 51-year-old Achebe Kenneth Nnamdi while heading to Onitsha, Anambra state in a white Toyota Sienna vehicle.

“The agency’s sniffer dogs were subsequently brought in to search the vehicle after which 7.6 kilograms of cocaine and 900 grams of methamphetamine were found hidden in body compartments of the space bus.

“A follow up operation was promptly carried out at Okparas hideout in Isheri where an additional 1.8kg cocaine and 1.3kg methamphetamine were recovered from his residence. ”

In another major bust, he said NDLEA officers at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, working with Aviation Security officials, recovered 7,790 pills of tramadol and rohypnol from a passenger, Omoregie Uyiosa.

He said the suspect, en route to Italy via Turkish Airlines on Wednesday, July 16, admitted he intended to sell the drugs abroad.

“In another arrest at the Lagos airport, NDLEA operatives at the export shed on Thursday, 17th July intercepted 17 parcels of skunk, a strain of cannabis, weighing 1.70kg concealed in packs of popular cereal, Golden Morn, going to Pakistan as part of a consolidated cargo.

“A suspect, Chioba Robert Uchenna, who presented the consignment for shipmen,t was arrested,” the statement added.

Also in Lagos, Babafemi said NDLEA operatives stormed the Sarah Sam Hotels on Ogudu Road, Kosofe, where “party drugs” were allegedly being distributed.

He said the facility, run as a family business, was raided on Saturday, July 19, after surveillance linked it to suspect Obayemi Oyetade.

From his room, he said officers recovered 1.3kg of chocolate cannabis, 900 grams of cannabis-infused gummies, and 22.9 grams of skunk. Three vehicles were also seized.

“Three suspects: Onyeka Madu, Monday Nwadishi and Emmanuel Madu were on Saturday 19th July, arrested during an intelligence-led raid at Narayi High Cost area of Chikun LGA, Kaduna State, where 742.866 kilograms of skunk, and Colorado, a synthetic strain of cannabis were seized from them. In Kano, Lawan Rabiu was nabbed with 36,000 pills of tramadol along Danbatta-Kazaure road, on Wednesday 16th July.

“While a total of 25,000 pills of tramadol and exol-5 were recovered from a suspect, Aliyu Abubakar, at Gombe roundabout on Friday 18th July, the duo of Mohammed Adamu and Furaira Idris were arrested same day with 49 blocks of compressed skunk that weighed 29kg at Kwadom, Yemaltu Deba LGA, Gombe state,” the statement added.

In Borno, Babafemi said NDLEA officers on patrol along Baga road, Maiduguri, on Saturday, July 19, intercepted 74,360 pills of opioids in a Mercedes Benz C180 car marked GUB 409 AA and arrested Audu Modu, 44, in connection with the seizure.

“In Bayelsa State, a 63-year-old grandma Akuna Nelson was on Thursday 17th July arrested at Osiri area of Yenagoa in connection with the seizure of 163 litres of skuchies.

“Four suspects: Ikechukw Abugu, 42; Sunday Ani, 18; Chukwu Christian, 46; and Emmanuel Olisakwe, 55, were on Thursday 17th July arrested by NDLEA operatives along Okene-Lokoja highway, Kogi state in connection with the seizure of 2kg methamphetamine recovered during a search of their vehicle coming from Onitsha, Anambra state to Minna, Niger state.

“In Abia state, NDLEA officers on Monday 14th July raided the base of a notorious drug dealer, Nduka Obi, 39, at 4 Niger street, Ugwa road, Aba, where various quantities of tramadol, cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and a total of N736,000 monetary exhibit were recovered from him, ” he added.