Nigeria influencer arrested after seizure of cocaine worth $28m destined for the UK
Afolabi Kazeem Micheal has not commented on allegations he is linked to a global drug trafficking network.
A Nigerian social media influencer, Afolabi Kazeem Micheal, also known as "KC Luxury," has been apprehended following the confiscation of nearly $28 million (£21 million) worth of cocaine intended for the UK. Micheal is suspected of involvement with a global drug trafficking organization.
The 49-year-old, who boasts 700,000 followers on Instagram and presented himself as a gold and luxury goods businessman, was detained last week at a Lagos airport while preparing to board a flight to Paris, according to Nigeria's drug enforcement agency. Officials allege he served as the Nigerian "arrowhead" for a cartel that transported cocaine from South America through Nigeria to Europe and Asia. Micheal has not yet commented on these allegations or been formally charged.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) reported that 184.5kg of cocaine was discovered on Monday, August 3, concealed within brown boxes at a courier facility in Lagos. The agency stated that an international trafficking network, which has utilized Nigeria as a transit point for moving drugs to the UK, other European countries, and Asia for years, was exporting the cocaine.
Micheal's arrest occurred ten days later at Lagos's Murtala Mohammed International Airport as he attempted to depart the country on a business-class flight to the French capital. General Buba Marwa, head of the NDLEA, stated, "Upon credible intelligence that he intended to flee the country… our operatives moved decisively and apprehended him at the boarding gate… just as he attempted to escape the reach of the law."
At the time of his arrest, Micheal was carrying over $12,840 in cash across three currencies—euros, pounds, and naira—along with expensive jewelry, which the agency described as "consistent with the proceeds of his illicit trade."
A second suspect, Lawal Mujab Kehinde, has also been detained. Kehinde is alleged to have been an employee of a logistics company through which the cocaine was transported. The NDLEA claims the 33-year-old packaged cocaine for export and received cash payments. Kehinde has not commented on the allegations or been charged.
The agency also indicated that other suspected members of the network in the UK have been arrested by their international law enforcement counterparts. The BBC is seeking comment from UK authorities.
Marwa emphasized that the arrests highlight the effectiveness of international agency collaboration and vowed to pursue other members of the network. "We will track you to the departure gates if we must," he declared at a Lagos news conference.