184.5KG COCAINE BUST: NDLEA ARRAIGNS KC LUXURY, TWO OTHERS OVER UK-BOUND DRUG HAUL

184.5KG COCAINE BUST: NDLEA ARRAIGNS KC LUXURY, TWO OTHERS OVER UK-BOUND DRUG HAUL

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arraigned Afolabi Kazeem Michael, popularly known as KC Luxury, and two alleged accomplices, Boniface Freeman Ochoche Sule and Ikechukwu Ekugo Patriarch, before the Federal High Court in Lagos over the attempted export of 184.5kg of cocaine concealed in five consignments and destined for London, United Kingdom. The defendants were arraigned on Friday, 25 September 2026, before Justice Musa Kakaki on a 22-count charge bordering on cocaine trafficking, unlawful export of narcotic drugs and money laundering. They all pleaded not guilty to the charges.

In count one, marked FHC/LAG/CR/755/2026, the prosecution alleged that the defendants conspired between 28 July and 1 August 2026 with Atandare Oladipupo Oluwarotimi and Latifat Yusuf, who had already been arrested in London, to export the cocaine through a Lagos-based courier logistics firm. The consignments, bearing Airway Bill Numbers 2079998314, 8224082370, 2079973571, 7181131742 and 2211893902, were allegedly shipped under the name Yemi Ejide. The charge sheet further alleged that Boniface procured Ikechukwu to facilitate the export, while Afolabi allegedly procured a staff member of BOT Express Logistics to process the consignments and unlawfully possessed the cocaine ahead of export. Afolabi was also accused of paying ₦13.2 million from a Mallamawa Ventures Zenith Bank account to BOT Express Logistics as consideration for the shipment.

Sixteen additional counts relate to alleged money laundering, with the prosecution accusing Afolabi of moving several billions of naira through various companies and personal accounts, including Mallamawa Ventures, Fateey Man Multi-Purpose Nigeria Ltd, Patonifa Ltd, Ade-Lak Resources, Holmestas Global Services Limited and La Capital Enterprises. The prosecution alleged that the funds were used, among other purposes, to acquire vehicles and landed properties to conceal their purported illicit origin, while Afolabi was also accused of failing to declare his assets as required by law.

Following the defendants’ not-guilty pleas, NDLEA prosecutor Abu Ibrahim opposed their bail applications and urged the court to remand them in custody pending trial, citing the gravity of the alleged offences. Justice Faji thereafter ordered that the defendants be remanded in an NDLEA facility and adjourned the matter until 4 October 2026 for ruling on the bail application.

Afolabi, also known as KayCee Luxury, KayCee Lux, KC, Mr. Luxury and Yemi Ejide, was arrested by NDLEA operatives on 13 August 2026 while allegedly attempting to leave Nigeria on a business-class flight to Paris from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos. His arrest followed the interception of the 184.5kg cocaine consignment, which the NDLEA estimated to be worth about ₦39 billion. A subsequent search of his person and his Banana Island apartment allegedly led to the recovery of exotic vehicles, foreign currency and jewellery suspected by the Agency to be proceeds of illicit trade. The allegations remain subject to determination by the court.