NDLEA Busts ₦39bn Cocaine Cartel, Arrests ‘KC Luxury’ At Lagos Airport

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has dismantled an international cocaine trafficking syndicate that allegedly used Nigeria as a transit route for distributing illicit drugs to the United Kingdom, other parts of Europe and Asia.

According to Ireporter Online, NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), disclosed the development while addressing journalists in Lagos on Tuesday.

Marwa said the operation followed the interception of 184.50 kilogrammes of cocaine concealed in a consignment processed through a courier logistics company in Lagos. He said the shipment was allegedly worth about ₦39 billion to the cartel if successfully distributed through its international network.

Following the seizure, the agency constituted a Special Investigation Team to trace the individuals and organisations connected to the shipment. The investigation reportedly led to the arrest of two key suspects.

One of the suspects, Lawal Mujab Kehinde, was identified as a staff member of the logistics company allegedly responsible for processing consignments for the syndicate and facilitating their movement to destinations in Europe and Asia.

The second suspect was identified as Afolabi Kazeem Michael, popularly known online as “KC Luxury.” According to the NDLEA, investigations identified him as the Nigerian coordinator of the cartel.

The agency alleged that Afolabi presented himself publicly as a social media influencer and businessman involved in gold, jewellery and luxury goods while allegedly coordinating an international cocaine trafficking operation.

Marwa said Afolabi was arrested on August 13, 2026, at the boarding gate of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos while allegedly attempting to leave Nigeria on a business-class flight to Paris.

The NDLEA chairman said operatives recovered €7,750, £2,800 and ₦100,000 in cash from the suspect, alongside expensive jewellery. A subsequent search of his luxury apartment on Banana Island, Ikoyi, also reportedly led to the recovery of exotic vehicles.

According to the agency, further investigations revealed that the syndicate allegedly relied on intermediary companies, financial facilitators and false identities to conceal its operations and move proceeds from drug trafficking.

Marwa said some suspected members of the network in the United Kingdom had also been arrested by British authorities in connection with the same syndicate.

He described the operation as a major breakthrough in the agency’s efforts to dismantle transnational drug trafficking networks, particularly as traffickers increasingly turn to courier and logistics companies to move narcotics across international borders.

The NDLEA chairman warned drug traffickers against attempting to conceal their activities behind wealth, luxury lifestyles or social media influence, stressing that the agency would continue to pursue suspects regardless of their status or connections.

He also commended the agency’s Special Investigation Team and international partners for their roles in uncovering the alleged network.

Marwa reaffirmed the NDLEA’s commitment to preventing Nigeria from being used as a transit route for illicit drugs and protecting communities from the consequences of drug trafficking.

The agency said the investigation remains ongoing as efforts continue to identify and apprehend other members of the alleged international cartel.