NEWS
NDLEA Intercepts Colorado Shipments From UK, Uncovers Drugs Hidden in Music Speakers in Lagos
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intensified its crackdown on illicit drug trafficking following the interception of multiple consignments of synthetic cannabis, popularly known as Colorado or Colos, concealed in shipments from the United Kingdom and hidden inside music speakers at motor parks in Lagos.
The latest operations resulted in the seizure of significant quantities of the illicit substance and the arrest of at least seven suspects linked to the various consignments.
The NDLEA disclosed the development in a statement issued on Sunday by its Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, detailing a series of coordinated operations carried out by the agency in Lagos.
At the import shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, operatives intercepted a consignment from the United Kingdom containing 27 parcels of Colorado with a combined weight of 32.20 kilogrammes.
A real estate agent, Abideen Jide Salami, was subsequently arrested on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, after allegedly arriving at the airport to collect a large luggage containing the illicit substance.
The agency said Salami was identified as the designated recipient of the consignment and reportedly used a secret collection code said to have been relayed to him by his brother based in the United Kingdom.
In a related operation involving another shipment originating from the UK, NDLEA operatives traced and arrested the intended recipient of a second consignment containing 12.25 kilogrammes of Colorado.
The suspect, identified as 44-year-old Nurudeen Abiodun Kadiri, reportedly informed investigators that his brother in the United Kingdom had sent the consignment to him.
The agency’s operations also extended beyond the airport, with operatives uncovering an elaborate method allegedly being used by traffickers to move Colorado through Nigeria’s transportation network.
Operatives of the NDLEA Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI) intercepted a music speaker at a motor park in Maza Maza, Lagos, after discovering three packs of Colorado concealed inside the electronic device.
The consignment was reportedly destined for Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, with Liberia identified as its ultimate destination.
Following a sting operation conducted at a nearby eatery, NDLEA operatives arrested 41-year-old tour agent Ifeanyi Obed Augustine and 46-year-old Obasi Ugochuckwu, who was identified as the alleged owner of the consignment.
In another operation at Iddo Motor Park, operatives arrested Ifeanyi Nwokolo Henry on Friday, September 11, 2026, while he was allegedly attempting to dispatch another consignment containing 2.1 kilogrammes of Colorado to Kano.
The series of seizures highlights the increasingly sophisticated methods allegedly being employed by drug trafficking networks, including the use of legitimate-looking international cargoes, electronic appliances and interstate transportation channels to conceal and move illicit substances.
With the latest operations, the NDLEA has continued to target not only street-level distribution but also the networks responsible for importing, receiving and transporting synthetic cannabis across Nigeria and beyond.
The agency’s latest seizures also underscore the growing concern surrounding Colorado, a synthetic cannabis product that has become increasingly prominent in Nigeria’s illicit drug market and is often concealed in ordinary household and commercial items to evade detection.
The suspects arrested in connection with the various operations are expected to face further investigation and possible prosecution as the NDLEA continues its efforts to dismantle the supply chains behind the di
stribution of illicit drugs.