Nigeria's National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, or NDLEA, says it intercepted cocaine consignments bound for China and Italy after officers discovered the drugs hidden in a local mortar and in the false bottom of a backpack.
The agency said the seizures were made by operatives from its Directorate of Operations and General Investigations on Thursday, July 30, 2026. In the available account, the concealment methods were described as an attempt to disguise the narcotics inside ordinary items.
The case points to the kind of smuggling tactics anti-drug officers are trying to detect in outbound shipments. Using a household object such as a mortar and a modified travel bag suggests an effort to avoid routine scrutiny while moving cocaine to international destinations.
Although the trimmed report does not include further operational details, the interception underscores NDLEA's continuing efforts to disrupt cocaine trafficking routes linked to Nigeria. It also highlights the agency's focus on identifying hidden compartments and deceptive packaging before suspected shipments leave the country.