The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested 20 Filipino nationals after intercepting a large consignment of cocaine shipped from Brazil into Lagos.
The suspects were apprehended during a coordinated operation at a Lagos seaport, where NDLEA operatives, acting on intelligence, discovered the illicit substance concealed in a container said to have originated from São Paulo, Brazil.
According to NDLEA officials, the interception followed weeks of surveillance and international collaboration. Preliminary investigations revealed that the Filipinos were allegedly part of a trafficking syndicate responsible for smuggling hard drugs into West Africa through Nigeria.
The agency confirmed that the seized cocaine weighed several kilograms, though the exact quantity is still being verified pending laboratory analysis.
NDLEA spokesman stated that the arrests underscore the agency’s renewed commitment to blocking drug trafficking routes and dismantling international criminal networks operating within Nigeria.
The suspects have been transferred to NDLEA custody for further interrogation, while investigations continue to identify local collaborators and other international links.
The agency reiterated its zero-tolerance stance against drug trafficking and promised that all those involved will face prosecution according to Nigerian law.
