NDLEA intercepts illicit drugs in coffee sachets, detains 22 Indians over cocaine shipment
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it operatives have intercepted various quantities of illicit substances, including ketamine, ecstasy and tramadol pills concealed in sachets of coffee mix and book parcel heading to Zambia and the United Kingdom (UK).
Femi Babafemi, NDLEA spokesperson, said in a statement on Sunday, that the seizures were made at a courier company in Lagos on December 24 and 29, 2025.
Babafemi added that the agency has also taken into custody, 22 Indian crew members of a merchant vessel, MV Aruna Hulya, in which 31.5 kilograms of cocaine were seized by operatives at the GDNL terminal, Apapa port Lagos on Friday, January 2, 2026.
He listed those detained to include the master of the vessel, Sharma Shashi Bhushan and Bharati Manoj Kumar; Bhalerao Nilesh Mukund; Nadar Anthony Macson David; Kolusu Srinivasa Rao; Sagar Gaurav; Francis Anto Beemas Nester; Jagdeep Singh; Jai Parkash; Prabhukhan Singh; Nevage Sandesh Suresh; Pandey Prashant; Nittu Anand; Akash Babu; Dasari Raju; Reddy Nandika Sanjeeba; Rana Nivesh; Melethil Insaf Rahman; Barla Chantanya Krishna; Ghosh Arijit; Mondal Raihan; and Gangwar Shiv Om.
They were arrested in connection with the discovery of the 31.5kg cocaine in hatch three of the ship which originated from Marshall Islands.
The NDLEA spokesperson, said operatives in Oyo arrested a wanted female drug kingpin who is a major illicit drug distributor in Ibadan, the state capital.
The 65-year-old grandma, Fatima Ilori, popularly known as Mama Kerosine was arrested on December 29, December 2025 in an intelligence-led operation following the seizure of 238.4kg skunk, a strain of cannabis, linked to her.
Ilori was arrested along with another female suspect Olusanya Abosede, 35, at Onireke/Elekuro area of Ibadan.
In Borno state, the supply chain of illicit drugs to insurgents was further disrupted with the arrest of two suppliers and seizure of large consignments of illicit substances.
While one of the suspects, Isa Mohammed, 26, was arrested by NDLEA operatives following the interception of 9,150 ampoules of tramadol injection along Maiduguri-Gamboru Ngala road on Friday 2nd January 2026, the other suspect Musa Samaila, 30, was nabbed with 34,000 capsules of tramadol at Biu market same day.
