Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have recorded a major breakthrough in the war against illicit drug trafficking with the arrest of a notorious drug kingpin, Ajetsibo Emami, popularly known as ‘Warri Kinsman’.

Emami was apprehended on Saturday, June 28, in Ikeja, Lagos, following a meticulously coordinated three-day operation by NDLEA personnel. The raid, based on credible intelligence, led to the arrest of three other suspects linked to his wide-ranging drug network.

During the operation, officers recovered 24 jumbo bags containing 681 pouches of Canadian Loud, a potent strain of cannabis. The drugs weighed 414.2 kilograms in total and were allegedly being prepared for movement to the Lekki area of Lagos, from where they would be distributed to other states across Nigeria.

The agency disclosed that the arrest followed weeks of surveillance and intelligence gathering on Emami's illicit operations.

In a related development, NDLEA operatives from the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI) uncovered another smuggling attempt involving hard drugs cleverly concealed in cosmetics and documents. During a routine inspection on Thursday, July 3, at a Lagos-based courier company, officials intercepted two separate consignments of cocaine.

The first seizure involved 420 grams of cocaine ingeniously packed into 84 pieces of female lipsticks, intended for shipment to the United Kingdom. The second shipment, bound for Saudi Arabia, contained 280 grams of cocaine hidden within a Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) enclosed in a parcel of property documents.

Spokesperson of the agency, Femi Babafemi, confirmed the operations, noting that the arrests and seizures represent significant progress in dismantling sophisticated drug trafficking operations across Nigeria.

 “The NDLEA remains committed to identifying and disrupting every channel used by drug cartels. We are constantly evolving to counter their tricks, no matter how deceptive,” Babafemi stated.

The agency said investigations are ongoing, and all suspects will be charged to court in accordance with the provisions of the law.