The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has uncovered a disturbing new method being adopted by drug traffickers attempting to evade arrest.
According to reports, intensified surveillance and the deployment of modern detection tools at Nigerian airports have made it increasingly difficult for traffickers to move illicit substances through air travel without being caught.
As a result, criminal networks have reportedly shifted to a riskier route—travelling by road from southern Nigeria to the northern region, then crossing the desert into North Africa before proceeding to Europe.
Sources indicate that couriers on this route ingest illicit drugs in sealed packages before departure, with plans to stop multiple times during the journey to excrete and re-ingest the substances.
The dangerous process is said to involve as many as three stops before reaching the final destination.
NDLEA officials described the development as alarming, noting the serious health risks involved, including possible death if any of the drug packages rupture inside the body.
However, the NDLEA says the tactic has also been detected.
With the increasing presence of operatives along major highways, traffickers using the route are now being intercepted, leading to roadside recoveries of concealed narcotics.
The agency reaffirmed its commitment to combating drug trafficking across all routes and warned criminal syndicates that evolving tactics will continue to be met with stronger enforcement measures.
