UK, UAE, Brazil’s drug cartel smashed in Lagos as NDLEA seizes N5.3bn Australia-bound cocaine, charms

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has broken up a major international drug cartel operating across Nigeria, the United Kingdom, Brazil, Australia, and the United Arab Emirates.

The agency said the feat was achieved following a two-week intelligence-driven operation in Lagos, which led to the arrest of three key figures of the syndicate after seizing a large consignment of cocaine disguised in textiles and charms bound for Sydney, Australia, through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja.

According to a statement issued on Sunday by NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi, the operation began on Tuesday, August 26, 2025, when operatives at the Lagos airport’s export shed intercepted 76 cartons of textile materials destined for Sydney.

“A thorough search of the shipment led to the recovery of 16 big blocks of cocaine weighing 17.9 kilograms hidden in the lace materials parked with local charms to provide spiritual cover against law enforcement detection.

“A freight agent and member of the syndicate, Olashupo Michael Oladimeji was the first to be arrested. The consignment was expected to fetch the syndicate an estimated street value of over 5.3 million Australian Dollars, equivalent of N5.3 billion,” the statement said.

According to the statement obtained by PlatinumPost, further investigations uncovered more alleged leaders of the cartel, which were identified as Muaezee Ademola Ogunbiyi and Shola Adegoke.

“Ogunbiyi who is (allegedly) the arrowhead of the syndicate in Nigeria was arrested at a hotel in Ikeja GRA on Wednesday 3rd September and swiftly taken to his house in Lekki area of Lagos where a search led to the recovery of 21 parcels of Canadian Loud, a strain of cannabis with a total weight of 10.90kg and a double-barreled pump action gun, with some cartridges.

“A house located at 13 Reverend Ogunbiyi Street, Ikeja GRA, where the criminal group use to package illicit drugs for export was subsequently raided and another leader of the syndicate Shola Adegoke arrested there. A black Range Rover SUV marked RBC 459 EJ found in the compound was searched and 17 parcels of Loud weighing 9.60 kilograms were recovered. A black Toyota Venza car with registration number FST 771 JQ was earlier recovered from Ogunbiyi at the point of his arrest at the hotel,” the statement noted.

The NDLEA disclosed that while Ogunbiyi coordinated operations in Nigeria, another suspect identified as Adebisi Ademola Omoyele, also known as Mr. Bee, currently in Dubai, oversees the syndicate’s overseas activities.
“Shola Adegoke was found to have been jailed in the UK in 2021 for dealing in Methamphetamine and subsequently deported to Nigeria in 2024. Ogunbiyi was also found to have served a 14-year-jail term in the UK over a murder case before returning to Nigeria about eight years ago,” the agency revealed.

The crackdown extended beyond Lagos, with multiple arrests and seizures across different states.

Meanwhile, a Milan Italy-based Nigerian Gabriel Michael was on Friday 5th September arrested by NDLEA operatives at the departure hall of terminal 1 of the Lagos airport while attempting to board an Air France flight to Italy.

“He was found to have concealed a total of 24,480 pills of tramadol 100mg, 200mg and 225mg, which he claimed he was going to sell for 19,520 euros.

“A total of 160,200 bottles of codeine-based syrup were discovered in a 40ft container during a joint examination of the shipment by NDLEA officers and men of Nigeria Customs and other security agencies at the West Africa Container Terminal (WACT) Port Harcourt Ports Complex, Onne, Rivers state on Thursday 4th September. The container which has 220 cartons of ceramic sanitary wares used as cover for the codeine syrup was one of the shipments watch-listed and tracked by a special operations unit of NDLEA while the illicit consignment has an estimated street value of over N1.1 billion,” the statement said.

In the Federal Capital Territory Abuja, NDLEA said its operatives on a stop and search operation on Thursday 4th September arrested a dispatch rider Joel Bernard, 32, in Gwarimpa area of the FCT while allegedly conveying 3.1kg Colorado, a synthetic strain of cannabis.

“In Lagos, NDLEA operatives acting on credible intelligence on Monday 1st September arrested the duo of Tunde Ayinla, 47, and Olawale Omotare, 54, while loading four distribution vehicles at their 28 Ola Street, Ijesha Surulere home. Recovered from them include: 9kg of Canadian Loud; 5kg of Colorado and 1,101 compressed blocks of Ghana Loud weighing 611kg, bringing the total weight of the combined seizures to 625 kilograms.

“In another raid in Lagos, operatives on Friday 5th September arrested a couple: Andy David, 43, and Andy Esther, 44, with 24.4kg of skunk, a strain of cannabis, recovered from their home in Ajegunle area of the state.
“While 45-year-old Musa Isah was arrested with 53.400kg skunk concealed in two cartons in the trunk of his Toyota Avensus car marked ABC 338 SS in Kogi state, Yunusa  Zakari, 23, was nabbed in a follow up operation in Auchi, Edo state on Friday 5th September in connection with the earlier seizure of 233kg skunk in Kakau, Kaduna state.

“Not less than 11,000 pills of tramadol were recovered from a suspect Ayouk Nelson, 28, when he was arrested by NDLEA operatives on Wednesday 3rd September at 61 Bida road, Onitsha, Anambra State, just as operatives on patrol along Minna-Bida road Niger state on Tuesday 2nd September intercepted a white Toyota Hilux vehicle. A search led to the seizure of 30 bags of skunk weighing 342 kilograms while the driver Afolayan Ayodele, 54, conveying the consignment was arrested.

“In Taraba state, a total of 18,750 kilograms of skunk were destroyed on 7.5 hectares of cannabis plantations at Joro-Ade village, Ardo Kola, LGA on Tuesday 2nd September. Owners of the two farms: Mako Zmar, 55, and Sani Titus, 45, were arrested during the operation,” the statement said.