Auto Parts Dealer Caught with Cocaine and Phenacetin in Lagos

Nigeria Seizures Nigeria Seizures

Posted by TGANB-Admin on 2025-06-24 09:04:18 |

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In a major crackdown, the NDLEA arrested a Lagos-based spare parts dealer, Levi Chidiebele Ubodoeze, for attempting to smuggle 2 kg of cocaine to Angola, concealed inside vehicle propeller shafts. The arrest occurred after weeks of manhunt prompted by intelligence from a freight warehouse in Ojo. Upon searching his residence, agents also discovered 75.5 kg of phenacetin, a cutting agent used to increase cocaine volume, hidden in semolina-branded packaging.

Ubodoeze confessed to being part of a Mushin-based trafficking network and using Ladipo Market as a cover. The NDLEA revealed that his operation was tracked in collaboration with Angolan authorities, as his intended shipment had already been flagged by foreign customs. The large quantity of phenacetin suggests he was not merely a courier but a processor in the value chain.

This case marks a growing trend where traffickers mix narcotics with innocuous commercial goods. NDLEA officials praised international cooperation and stressed the importance of port and warehouse surveillance. With Lagos serving as both a major hub for export and local consumption, such seizures signal deepening control measures by law enforcement to dismantle traffickers operating behind legitimate businesses.

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