NDLEA ARRESTS EX-CONVICT DISGUISED AS HERBAL TEA DEALER IN DRUG INVESTIGATION

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has arrested a convicted cocaine trafficker who allegedly returned to the illegal drug trade after serving a prison sentence, this time operating under the cover of a herbal tea business. The agency said the suspect was apprehended as part of ongoing operations targeting drug trafficking networks, while a separate operation also led to the interception of a 20,000-litre fuel tanker reportedly modified with a concealed compartment containing more than two tonnes of cannabis.

According to the NDLEA, the suspect had previously been convicted for cocaine trafficking but allegedly reinvented himself as a businessman dealing in herbal tea products after completing his sentence. The agency said his arrest highlights the continued efforts of drug traffickers to conceal their activities behind legitimate-looking businesses and identities in an attempt to evade law enforcement scrutiny.

In another major breakthrough recorded during the agency’s recent operations, NDLEA operatives intercepted a tanker loaded with cannabis. The 20,000-litre vehicle had allegedly been fitted with a specially constructed compartment designed to conceal the illicit substance and transport it without attracting attention. The quantity of cannabis recovered from the vehicle was said to be more than two tonnes, underscoring the scale of the trafficking operation being investigated.

The latest arrests and seizure form part of the NDLEA’s wider campaign against the movement and distribution of illicit drugs across the country. The agency has continued to target both major trafficking networks and individuals who allegedly use legitimate commercial activities as fronts for the drug trade, with intelligence-led operations being deployed to track suspects and intercept consignments before they reach their intended destinations.

The NDLEA said investigations into the arrested suspect and the seized cannabis consignment are ongoing, with operatives working to establish the wider network connected to the activities. The agency’s latest operations further demonstrate its focus on disrupting organised drug trafficking and preventing large quantities of illicit substances from entering communities and reaching consumers.