Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have arrested a 37-year-old ex-convict, Nwobodo Chidiebere Basil, alongside three cargo agents over an attempt to export cocaine concealed in liquid starch sachets to the United Kingdom.
According to the agency, the suspects were apprehended following intelligence-led operations that uncovered the illicit consignment during routine cargo screening. The cocaine was ingeniously hidden in sachets labelled as liquid starch, a method intended to evade detection.
Investigations revealed that Basil was the alleged ringleader of the operation. He was previously convicted for smuggling methamphetamine to London and secured his release in 2023 after paying a fine.
The three cargo agents were arrested at the point of shipment, while Basil was subsequently tracked and taken into custody as investigations expanded.
The NDLEA commended its officers for their vigilance, particularly amid intensified nationwide surveillance during the festive period, and reaffirmed its commitment to dismantling drug trafficking networks operating within and outside Nigeria.