The Nationwide Drug Regulation Enforcement Company has uncovered a WhatsApp-based drug distribution ring working in Lekki, the place traffickers disguised Canadian Loud as imported Christmas cookies and snacks earlier than distributing it throughout Lagos.
In accordance with NDLEA, the operation was run by two suspects, Deji Adesanya and Olubiyi Majekodunmi.
They allegedly imported Loud in bulk and repackaged it in vibrant designer sachets printed with cookie and snack labels.
“Following credible intelligence concerning the actions of the syndicate which operates and distributes by a WhatsApp platform, NDLEA operatives on Saturday, twenty second November 2025, raided their residence at Ojulari avenue, Ikate space of Lekki, the place a big amount of the designer sachets and 5kilograms of Loud have been recovered from them on the level of their arrest,” the company said.
In a separate raid on November 27, NDLEA arrested 38-year-old kingpin Philip Ucheka at Ladipo, Mushin, whereas he was receiving 110 pouches of Canadian Loud weighing 55.6 kilograms. The company additionally seized three supply automobiles.
At a Lagos courier facility, officers intercepted 100 grams of Loud hidden inside a teddy bear imported from Thailand. One other cargo containing 548 tramadol capsules hid in Vitamin C and magnesium bottles and headed to the UK was seized the next day.
In Oyo state, on November 29, NDLEA officers on the Lagos–Ibadan expressway arrested Wasiu Kareem, 55, with 8,000 ampoules of pentazocine injection, 590 bottles of codeine syrup, 1,500 Co-codamol capsules and 9,900 tramadol capsules.
On November 29, NDLEA arrested John Ekojo, 51, alongside the Abuja–Jos freeway with 210.15 kilograms of skunk.
A pair, Abdullahi Abubakar and Jamila Abdullahi, have been arrested on the Abuja–Kaduna freeway with 725 rounds of 7.62mm dwell ammunition hid in a maize sack. One other suspect, Awwal Sabiu, was arrested on November 28 with 400 rounds of the identical ammunition.
NDLEA Chairman Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), whereas praising the sphere groups throughout Lagos, Ondo, Oyo, Kogi, Kaduna, Kano, Seme and Bauchi, urged officers to remain dedicated to the company’s balanced method to drug management efforts.
He stated the operations replicate ongoing work to disrupt trafficking networks and cut back the supply of illicit substances nationwide.
The company additionally scaled up its Battle Towards Drug Abuse outreach, holding sensitisation periods in faculties, non secular centres, ports, workplaces and communities throughout Kano, Lagos, Ebonyi and Enugu.
Final week, the company recovered N6.7 billion value of tramadol capsules and codeine syrups throughout a sting operation that focused a significant opioids cartel working from a residential property within the Isolo space of Lagos. The operation, carried out between November 19 and 20, led to the arrest of a drug baron, Onyekachi Pius Nwanagu, together with 5 members of his community.
In accordance with NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi, the raid was triggered by credible intelligence that the syndicate was getting ready to distribute 7,272,000 capsules of tramadol 225mg and 526,200 bottles of codeine syrup forward of the Christmas season. The medicine have been saved inside a compound at 23 Sunny Billa East Avenue, Bucknor, Isheri.
The company defined that two members of the community have been first arrested at Apple Junction, Festac, on November 19 whereas conveying 300 cartons of opioids. A follow-up raid the following day led to the arrest of Nwanagu and three extra suspects, with the seized medicine evacuated in 11 vans to NDLEA’s central exhibit complicated.
