A 38-year-old Nigerian businessman, Philip Tunde, has been arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, with 4.8kg of cocaine allegedly destined for Italy.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) said Tunde was arrested on September 27 at the Terminal 2 screening point while preparing to board a Royal Air Maroc flight to Milan.
According to the agency, operatives found 16 parcels of cocaine concealed in the soles of eight pairs of trainers and canvas shoes, while another 195 wraps were hidden in the rails of four travel bags.
During questioning, Tunde reportedly admitted paying ₦16 million in cash for part of the consignment. He allegedly said the money came from compensation he received after losing the tips of two fingers in a workplace accident at a plastic manufacturing company in Italy.
The NDLEA said the cocaine hidden in the travel bags was intended for delivery to a partner already based in Italy.
The arrest formed part of a wider nationwide operation during which the agency intercepted cannabis and codeine-based cough syrup worth more than ₦5 billion at the Apapa, Tincan Island and Onne ports.
In Osun State, more than 20,000kg of cannabis was destroyed following a raid on a farm in Ife South, while arrests involving tramadol, methamphetamine and cannabis-based substances were also recorded in Plateau, Lagos, Kogi and Edo states.
The agency also announced the rearrest in Jos of Idris Mohammed Kurra, a wanted drug suspect who had evaded arrest for six years after jumping bail in a 2020 drug case.
NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), commended the officers involved and called for sustained intelligence-led operations against drug trafficking networks across the country.