The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has arrested a 30-year-old Italy-based businessman for allegedly ingesting 98 wraps of cocaine in Anambra State before attempting to smuggle the drugs out of Nigeria.
The suspect was arrested on Sunday, August 2, 2026, during the outward clearance of passengers at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu.
He was reportedly travelling to Italy through Addis Ababa and France on Ethiopian Airlines flight ET930 when operatives of the anti-drug agency intercepted him.
The suspect was subsequently placed under excretion observation at the airport, during which he expelled 98 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.510 kilogrammes.
The development was contained in a statement signed by the NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi.
According to the agency, preliminary investigation showed that the suspect arrived in Nigeria from Italy on July 13, 2026, and later ingested the cocaine at a hotel in Awka, Anambra State.
He then travelled to Enugu to board his flight back to Europe.
The suspect reportedly told investigators that he had been doing business in Italy for several years before agreeing to traffic the cocaine for €3,500.
He allegedly said he accepted the offer because he needed money to relocate to Germany, where his family is based.
The arrest is one of several major drug interceptions recorded by the NDLEA across the country in recent days, as the agency intensified its campaign against the trafficking and distribution of illicit drugs.
In Lagos, NDLEA operatives reportedly stopped an attempt to export 1.2 kilogrammes of cocaine concealed inside 25 phone chargers.
The consignment was reportedly destined for Saudi Arabia.
In another operation in Lagos, 500 grammes of cocaine hidden in the false bottom of a backpack and intended for shipment to Italy were intercepted at a logistics company on Monday, August 3.
The agency said another major seizure was made on Tuesday, August 4, when its officers at a different shipping company in Lagos intercepted 2.3 kilogrammes of Loud, a strong strain of cannabis, imported from the United States.
The series of seizures highlights the different methods allegedly being used by drug traffickers to move illicit substances through airports, courier companies, seaports and roads.
The NDLEA has continued to strengthen surveillance at major entry and exit points, while also targeting warehouses, drug joints and locations believed to be used for the storage and distribution of illegal drugs.
In Ondo State, officers on patrol along the Akure-Ilesha Expressway intercepted a truck travelling north on Tuesday, August 4.
A search of the vehicle reportedly led to the discovery of 1,633 kilogrammes of skunk concealed in bags of rice shafts.
Two suspects were arrested in connection with the consignment.
The agency also recovered 147 kilogrammes of skunk during a raid on Ita Ogbolu Forest on Monday, August 3.
In Oyo State, NDLEA operatives acting on credible intelligence raided a drug warehouse in Elebure village, Orire Local Government Area, on the same day.
The operation resulted in the recovery of 731.03 kilogrammes of illicit drugs and the arrest of a 57-year-old suspect.
The agency said the suspect’s alleged partner remained at large.
The arrests and seizures were not limited to the South-West.
In Edo State, NDLEA operatives supported by soldiers recovered 65 jumbo bags of skunk weighing 604.5 kilogrammes at Ewe Luleha in Owan West Local Government Area on Wednesday, August 5.
The operation was part of efforts to prevent the movement of large quantities of cannabis through the state.
In Abia State, a suspected operator of a drug joint, 31-year-old Chibuike Charles, was arrested during a raid at his Samec by Powerline base in Osisioma Local Government Area on Thursday, August 6.
Seven kilogrammes of skunk were recovered from the location, according to the agency.
Meanwhile, in Lagos, a wanted drug dealer was arrested at the Fibre Market drug jungle in Badagry on Saturday, August 8, following a three-month manhunt.
The NDLEA said 88.5 kilogrammes of skunk were recovered from the suspect at the time of his arrest.
The agency also recorded a major seizure at the Tin Can Island Port Complex in Lagos.
NDLEA officers, working with the Nigeria Customs Service and other security agencies, intercepted 73 cartons containing 442 packets of cannabis-infused cookies and gummies.
The consignment, weighing 309.4 kilogrammes, was discovered during the joint examination of a 40-foot container on Tuesday, August 4.
A suspect was arrested in connection with the seizure.
The series of operations shows the continued efforts by the NDLEA to target different stages of the illegal drug trade, from importation and storage to local distribution and export.
Drug trafficking remains a major security and public health concern in Nigeria, with the country serving as both a transit point for some international drug routes and a market for illicit substances.
The agency has in recent years increased its presence at airports, seaports, land borders, highways and other locations considered vulnerable to drug trafficking.
One of the methods used by traffickers is the concealment of drugs in everyday items or personal belongings.
The arrest of the Italy-bound businessman also highlights the use of human couriers, including people who ingest wrapped drugs and attempt to pass through airports undetected.
The NDLEA has repeatedly warned travellers against accepting packages from strangers or agreeing to transport suspicious substances for money.
Beyond arrests and seizures, the agency said it was also continuing with its War Against Drug Abuse sensitisation campaign across the country.
During the week under review, NDLEA commands and formations conducted awareness programmes in schools and other institutions.
The agency held enlightenment lectures for students and staff of Islamic High School, Saki, Oyo State; Holy Ghost Academy, Nkpor, Anambra State; and Madarasatul Hidayatul Aulad Islamiyya, Gaya, Kano State.
The Rivers State Command also paid a WADA advocacy visit to the management of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education in Port Harcourt.
The agency said the campaign was aimed at educating young people and communities about the dangers of drug abuse and encouraging them to reject illicit substances.
The NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended officers and personnel of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigations, Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Ondo, Oyo, Edo, Abia, Seme and Tin Can commands for the operations.
Marwa urged personnel to sustain what he described as the agency’s balanced approach to drug control.
The approach combines enforcement activities, including arrests and seizures, with prevention, public education and community-based drug awareness programmes.
The agency said the operations would continue as it intensifies efforts to prevent illicit drugs from entering the country, being moved across states or exported to other countries.
For the Italy-based businessman, the investigation is expected to continue as authorities work to establish the source of the cocaine and identify other people who may have been involved in the alleged trafficking arrangement.