Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a 38-year-old businessman, Philip Tunde, for allegedly attempting to smuggle 4.80 kilograms of cocaine concealed in shoes and travelling bags to Milan, Italy.
The suspect was arrested on Sunday, September 27, 2026, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, while preparing to board a Royal Air Maroc flight to Milan.
The agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, disclosed the arrest in a statement issued on Sunday, October 4.
According to Babafemi, NDLEA operatives intercepted the suspect at the joint screening point of Terminal 2 following security checks on his luggage.
A detailed examination of his belongings led to the discovery of 16 parcels of white powder carefully concealed in the soles of eight pairs of trainers and canvas shoes.
Further inspection uncovered an additional 195 wraps of the substance hidden inside the railings of four travelling bags.
READ ALSO: Lagos APC Expels Egunjobi, Yusuf Over APM Tickets
Babafemi said preliminary tests conducted on the recovered substances confirmed that they were cocaine, weighing a combined 4.80 kilograms.
The discovery exposed the methods allegedly employed by the suspect to conceal the illicit substances in everyday travel items in an attempt to evade airport security checks.
The arrest forms part of the NDLEA’s ongoing efforts to intercept illicit drug shipments and disrupt international drug trafficking through Nigeria’s airports.
The agency has continued to strengthen its surveillance and screening operations at major international airports to prevent the movement of prohibited substances across international borders.
The latest interception also highlights the importance of detailed luggage inspections in detecting drugs concealed in seemingly ordinary personal belongings.
The statement did not immediately disclose further details about the suspect’s alleged trafficking network or whether other individuals were being investigated in connection with the seized drugs.
