NDLEA Intercepts 25kg Meth Hidden in Cereals, Arrests Nigerian, US Suspects
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted 25.05 kilogrammes of methamphetamine concealed in packs of assorted breakfast cereals imported from South Africa through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.
The agency also arrested a 56-year-old Nigerian suspected drug trafficker, Chinedu Onwude, who allegedly operated under a stolen identity for more than 24 years while residing in South Africa.
The NDLEA disclosed this in a statement issued on Sunday by its Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi.
According to the statement, Onwude was arrested on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, at the arrival hall of Terminal II of the Lagos airport upon returning from South Africa.
A search of his two travelling boxes reportedly led to the discovery of 25 parcels of a white crystalline substance concealed inside assorted breakfast cereals and cereal-based food products.
The substance subsequently tested positive for methamphetamine, with a total weight of 25.05 kilogrammes.
The agency said preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect, who holds Nigerian and South African passports, had lived in South Africa for over 24 years using the identity of Omokan Isaac Babatope, allegedly obtained through forged documents.
He reportedly confessed that a South Africa-based associate, identified as Obiora Okoye, contracted him to deliver the illicit consignment in Nigeria for a fee of 20,000 South African rand.
In a related operation on the same day, NDLEA operatives arrested a 28-year-old American citizen, Greene Da’monte Khiree, over an alleged attempt to smuggle 33.95 kilogrammes of Loud, a potent strain of cannabis, from Thailand into Nigeria.
The suspect arrived in Lagos aboard an Emirates Airline flight from Thailand through Dubai. He was reportedly placed under surveillance after abandoning two checked-in bags and attempting to leave the airport with only his carry-on luggage.
He was subsequently arrested at the airport car park, while a search of the abandoned bags, which carried his name tags, uncovered 32 parcels of cannabis weighing 33.95 kilogrammes. A tracking device was also recovered.
The agency added that forensic examination of his mobile phone revealed information suggesting his knowledge of and involvement in the alleged drug trafficking operation.
Khiree reportedly claimed that he had been living in Thailand since October 2025, where he played professional basketball, and had travelled to Nigeria on holiday to establish networks for his career.
Beyond the airport operations, the NDLEA disclosed that its operatives arrested a 33-year-old man, Taiwo Aderoju, during an intelligence-led operation at Ebute Metta, Lagos, on November 10, recovering 119.71 kilogrammes of cannabis.
In Kaduna State, operatives raided a suspected illegal firearms fabrication factory at Sabon Garin Kangin on November 9, arresting a 45-year-old man, Sagiru Musa.
Items recovered included 17 locally fabricated Dane guns, two pistols, 25 Dane gun pipes and other materials allegedly used for manufacturing firearms.
Similarly, a joint operation in the Ajah area of Lagos on November 14 led to the recovery of various illicit substances from an abandoned silver Toyota Sienna after the suspect reportedly fled upon sighting the operatives.
The recovered items included 78.8 kilogrammes of cannabis, 2.5 litres of skuchies, 6.8 litres of codeine syrup, 23 grammes of Rohypnol, 478 grammes of tramadol, 10.6 kilogrammes of nitrous oxide and 714 grammes of pregabalin.
In another operation, NDLEA officers on patrol along the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway intercepted a 31-year-old woman, Tabara Dauda, on November 13, allegedly conveying 196 rounds of AK-47 live ammunition and ₦675,000 in cash.
The agency also reported sustained nationwide sensitisation activities under its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign, targeting schools, religious institutions, workplaces and communities.
Commending the operatives, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), praised their vigilance and professionalism.
He said the interception of methamphetamine concealed in breakfast cereals demonstrated that even sophisticated concealment methods could not defeat the agency’s determination to combat drug trafficking.
By TimesNG