Drug Trafficker Emeka busted after swallowing 45 Cocaine Pellets bound for Europe

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted a suspected cocaine courier in Oyo State, exposing a trans-Saharan trafficking route aimed at moving illicit drugs to Europe.

The agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, describing the arrest as a significant breakthrough in efforts to disrupt organised drug networks.

Babafemi said operatives intercepted a commercial bus along the Ibadan/Oyo expressway, where a 33-year-old passenger, Eze Prince Emeka, was flagged for a body scan.

He stated that the scan confirmed ingestion of illicit drugs, after which the suspect was placed under close observation.

Babafemi said the suspect subsequently excreted 45 pellets of cocaine weighing 1.043 kilograms in three separate excretions.

He stated that investigations revealed the suspect deliberately avoided air travel to evade detection, adding that “upon arrival in Sokoto, the suspect was to excrete the pellets, rest for a few days, and subsequently re-ingest the substances to continue the journey through the trans-Saharan routes, with Algeria as a transit point and possible final destination in Europe.”

Following the cocaine bust, Babafemi said NDLEA operations across other parts of the country led to additional major seizures.

He stated that in Edo State, operatives intercepted a truck conveying 1,196,000 pills of pharmaceutical opioids along the Benin/Lagos expressway, leading to the arrest of two suspects linked to the consignment bound for Onitsha.

Babafemi added that in Lagos, a suspect was arrested with 810 kilograms of a cannabis strain known as Arizona, while another was apprehended in Bauchi State with 154.5 kilograms of skunk.

In Ekiti State, he said operatives recovered 466.8 kilograms of cannabis from a suspect’s residence, while in Cross River State, NDLEA officers, supported by soldiers, destroyed 20,000 kilograms of cannabis cultivated on farmland and recovered 170 kilograms of processed substance.

He further disclosed that operatives in Niger State intercepted 394 components of improvised explosive devices from a suspect, who has since been handed over to relevant security agencies for further investigation.

Beyond enforcement, Babafemi said the agency sustained its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation campaigns across schools, religious centres and communities nationwide.

He stated that the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended officers for their efforts in tackling drug trafficking while maintaining public awareness campaigns.

Babafemi said Marwa particularly praised the interception of 10,000 pills of Captagon in Kwara State, describing it as a major disruption to emerging trafficking pipelines.

He quoted the NDLEA boss as warning of the dangers posed by such substances, stating: “We are not just seizing pills; we are disrupting the fuel that powers violence in our communities. Our operatives remain on high alert across all frontiers to ensure this illicit trade finds no foothold.”

Babafemi said the agency remains committed to dismantling drug syndicates and curbing the spread of illicit substances through sustained enforcement and preventive strategies.