A 30-year-old Italy-based businessman, Joseph Cyril, has been arrested by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) after allegedly ingesting 98 wraps of cocaine in an attempt to smuggle them out of Nigeria through Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu.
Cyril was arrested on Sunday, August 2, 2026, during the outward clearance of passengers on Ethiopian Airlines flight ET930, scheduled to take him to Italy through Addis Ababa and France.
He was placed under excretion observation and later excreted all 98 wraps, weighing 1.510 kilogrammes.
NDLEA spokesman Femi Babafemi said investigations showed that Cyril arrived in Nigeria from Italy on July 13 and allegedly ingested the cocaine at a hotel in Awka, Anambra State, before travelling to Enugu.
The suspect reportedly told investigators he agreed to traffic the drugs for €3,500 to raise money to relocate to Germany, where his family members live.
The arrest was among several major NDLEA operations across the country.
In Lagos, officers seized 1.2 kilogrammes of cocaine hidden inside 25 phone chargers and another 500 grammes concealed in a false-bottom backpack, both destined for foreign countries.
The agency also intercepted 2.3 kilogrammes of Loud imported from the US.
In Ondo, 1,633 kilogrammes of skunk was seized from a truck carrying rice shafts. Two suspects were arrested.
Other operations saw NDLEA seize hundreds of kilogrammes of skunk in Ondo, Oyo, Edo and Abia states, while wanted drug dealer Adome Sikuru was arrested in Lagos with 88.5 kilogrammes of skunk.
At Tin Can Island Port, 309.4 kilogrammes of cannabis-infused cookies and gummies were seized.
The NDLEA said its War Against Drug Abuse campaign also continued nationwide.
Chairman Mohamed Buba Marwa praised officers involved and urged them to maintain the agency’s balanced approach to drug control.
