Two Nigerians Arrested with Cocaine Worth $500K in Lebanon

Shocking Drug Bust: Two Nigerians Arrested in Lebanon for Attempted Cocaine Smuggling Worth Over $500,000

In a major international drug bust, two Nigerian nationals were arrested in Beirut, Lebanon, in July 2025 for allegedly attempting to smuggle 156 capsules of cocaine, weighing approximately three kilograms, into the country. The seized drugs are estimated to be worth over half a million U.S. dollars, according to reports from Lebanese authorities.

Sources familiar with the investigation revealed on Thursday that the suspects had ingested the cocaine capsules prior to their arrest. The arrest took place inside a hotel located in the Kesrouan District, a popular region just north of Beirut, where the suspects had checked in shortly after arriving in the country.

Details of the Drug Trafficking Operation

The arrests were carried out by Lebanon’s Central Bureau for Drug Control, as reported by L’Orient Today, a prominent Lebanese news outlet. The agency had been conducting an ongoing investigation into what it described as an “international drug trafficking network” that had been recruiting couriers—commonly referred to as “drug mules”—to transport narcotics from Nigeria to Lebanon, with Ethiopia reportedly used as a transit point.

Nigerians arrested for drug trafficking in Lebanon

According to a statement released by the Internal Security Forces (ISF) in Lebanon, the two Nigerian suspects—identified only by their initials R.A. (born in 1996) and L.N. (born in 1977)—arrived at Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport in the early hours of July 24, 2025.

Lebanon drug bust July 2025

Upon arrival, the suspects reportedly traveled directly to a hotel in Kesrouan, where they intended to extract the swallowed cocaine capsules and deliver them to a local dealer awaiting the shipment. However, they were apprehended while in the process of retrieving the narcotics, following a tip-off and close surveillance by Lebanese authorities.

The ISF confirmed that a total of 156 cocaine capsules were recovered from the suspects, describing the substance as “pure cocaine” with an estimated street value exceeding $500,000 USD. The ISF emphasized that the arrests were part of a broader crackdown on cross-border drug smuggling operations, particularly those involving West African countries.

Larger Trend: Rising Arrests of Nigerians Abroad

This high-profile arrest comes amid an apparent increase in reports of Nigerians being apprehended abroad for various criminal offenses, including drug trafficking, cybercrime, sexual assault, and human trafficking.

Just weeks earlier, on May 22, 2025, Lebanese authorities arrested another individual from an undisclosed African country at Beirut’s airport. The man had attempted to smuggle cocaine both hidden in his luggage and swallowed in capsule form, mirroring the method used by the two Nigerian suspects.

Analysis: Nigeria’s Growing Role in Global Narcotics Trade

The arrest of Nigerians in international drug operations—such as this case in Lebanon—has once again drawn attention to Nigeria’s growing entanglement in global narcotics trafficking routes. With West Africa increasingly becoming a transit hub for drugs destined for Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, law enforcement agencies across continents are intensifying their surveillance and cooperation.

Experts warn that economic instability, youth unemployment, and weak border control mechanisms may be contributing to the rise in transnational crime involving Nigerian nationals. Moreover, the use of drug mules who ingest and transport capsules internally is a method known to criminal syndicates for its high risk but relatively low detection—until recently.

Law enforcement agencies in both Nigeria and destination countries like Lebanon and Ghana are calling for stronger bilateral cooperation, improved intelligence sharing, and more stringent airport security protocols to curb this escalating issue.