Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have seized drugs valued at ₦4.4 billion, concealed in the lavatories of an Ethiopian Airlines flight.
The agency’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, confirmed the seizure in a statement on Sunday.
The drugs were discovered on October 29, 2024, during the cleaning of flight ET900, which had arrived in Lagos from Addis Ababa.
Babafemi stated that the illegal substances, comprising 845 wraps of cocaine weighing 18.72 kilograms, were hidden in nine plastic bags placed inside the waste collectors of the two rear lavatories of the aircraft.
“At least 30 suspects are being questioned in connection with the seizure,” Babafemi said. He noted that the cocaine was part of an international drug smuggling operation involving syndicates operating between Brazil, Ethiopia, and Nigeria.
Investigations revealed that the drugs were transported from Brazil to Ethiopia by couriers who ingested and later excreted the substances in Addis Ababa. From there, other traffickers attempted to smuggle them into Nigeria via Lagos, but their plan was intercepted with the cooperation of Ethiopian Airlines and airport authorities.
In a related operation, NDLEA officers also intercepted drugs concealed in body cream containers and artworks. On October 28, the agency blocked attempts to export 2.928 kilograms of cocaine, cannabis, and tramadol to Australia, the UAE, and the UK through courier services.
Further drug seizures were made at the Apapa seaport in Lagos, where operatives recovered 754,000 pills of tapentadol and acetaminophen worth ₦525 million.
The drugs were found in a container from India during a joint examination conducted with the Nigeria Customs Service and other security agencies.
