In a major operation, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Lagos State intercepted drug consignments valued at an estimated ₦4.4 billion, concealed in lavatories on an Ethiopian Airlines aircraft.
The discovery was made during the post-landing cleaning of flight ET900 from Addis Ababa to Lagos on October 29, 2024.
According to NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi, operatives were alerted to the presence of unusual packages hidden within the aircraft’s two rear lavatories, specifically in the waste collectors.
The consignments, consisting of 845 wraps of cocaine with a total weight of 18.72 kilograms, were found carefully wrapped in nine polythene bags.
The consignment’s street value is estimated at ₦4,492,800,000.
Babafemi revealed that the drugs originated from Brazil, transported to Ethiopia by drug couriers who had ingested them before excreting the packages upon arrival in Addis Ababa.
The substances were then transferred by other traffickers who attempted to smuggle them into Nigeria via Lagos airport.
“The NDLEA was able to act swiftly thanks to cooperation from Ethiopian Airlines and other airport stakeholders.
“At least 30 suspects have been questioned in connection with this interception, and further investigations are underway to identify those involved in this international drug syndicate, which operates across Brazil, Ethiopia, and Nigeria,” Babafemi stated.
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