The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has dismantled a transnational drug cartel operating between Nigeria, the United Kingdom, Brazil, Australia, and the United Arab Emirates, intercepting a major cocaine consignment at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.
The breakthrough followed a two-week intelligence-led operation that led to the arrest of three suspected kingpins in Lagos and the seizure of narcotics worth an estimated N5.3 billion.
According to the NDLEA, the operation began on Tuesday, August 26, 2025, when officers at the airport’s export shed intercepted 76 cartons of textile materials bound for Sydney, Australia. A thorough inspection revealed 16 blocks of cocaine weighing 17.9 kilograms, concealed within lace fabrics and packaged with local charms allegedly intended to provide “spiritual protection” against detection.
The first suspect, Olashupo Michael Oladimeji, a freight agent linked to the shipment, was immediately arrested. NDLEA said the cocaine haul would have sold for about 5.3 million Australian dollars (N5.3 billion) on the streets.
Subsequent investigations exposed other key figures in the syndicate, including Muaezee Ademola Ogunbiyi and Shola Adegoke. Ogunbiyi, described as the cartel’s Nigeria coordinator, was tracked to a hotel in Ikeja GRA on Wednesday, September 3, and later taken to his Lekki residence, where officers recovered 21 parcels of Canadian Loud cannabis weighing 10.9kg, alongside a double-barrel pump-action gun and cartridges.
A follow-up raid on a property at 13 Reverend Ogunbiyi Street, Ikeja GRA, used as a packaging hub, led to the arrest of Adegoke. A search of a black Range Rover SUV (RBC 459 EJ) parked in the compound yielded 17 more parcels of Loud cannabis weighing 9.6kg. Earlier, officers had seized a black Toyota Venza (FST 771 JQ) from Ogunbiyi during his arrest.
Further findings revealed that while Ogunbiyi oversaw local operations, the cartel’s overall leader, Adebisi Ademola Omoyele, alias “Mr. Bee”, currently operates from Dubai. NDLEA also disclosed that Adegoke had previously served a UK jail term for methamphetamine trafficking before being deported in 2024, while Ogunbiyi had earlier served a 14-year sentence in Britain for murder, returning to Nigeria eight years ago.
NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd.), praised the officers for the successful operation, vowing that the agency would continue to pursue transnational criminal networks threatening Nigeria’s security.
