The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted a massive consignment of Canadian Loud, a potent synthetic strain of cannabis, valued at over N10.4 billion at the Tincan Island Port in Lagos.
This was contained in a statement by the agency’s Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, on Wednesday.
According to the agency, the seized shipment weighed 4,173.5 kilograms and had an estimated street value of N10,433,750,000.
NDLEA disclosed that the operation followed months of intelligence gathering, surveillance, and coordinated tracking of the container from Canada to Nigeria. The shipment reportedly departed Toronto, Canada, on March 28 before being transported by rail to Montreal, where it was loaded onto a vessel bound for Morocco.
After arriving at Tanger Med Port in Morocco on April 15, the container was reportedly transferred onto another vessel before arriving in Lagos on May 9.
The agency said operatives of its Marine Intelligence Unit and Tincan Island Strategic Command monitored the shipment for more than two months in collaboration with international partners, including the United Kingdom Home Office International Operations, the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
The illicit drugs were eventually seized on Tuesday, May 12, during a joint inspection involving NDLEA officers, the Nigeria Customs Service, and other security agencies.
Investigations revealed that the narcotics were concealed inside two vehicles — a used Ford bus and a Mercedes-Benz C300 car — hidden within the shipping container in an attempt to evade detection.
Speaking during the handover of the seized exhibits in Lagos on Wednesday, NDLEA Director of Seaports Operations, ACG Ibinabo ArchieAbia, described the operation as a major breakthrough in the fight against transnational drug trafficking.
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“This achievement once again demonstrates the effectiveness of inter-agency cooperation, international collaboration, and intelligence-driven operations in combating transnational organised crime and illicit drug trafficking,” he said.
The latest seizure comes just four days after NDLEA operatives raided a mansion in the Lekki area of Lagos allegedly used as a drug stash house, where 2,326 kilograms of the same substance valued at over N5.8 billion were recovered.
Reacting to the latest development, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended officers involved in the operation for their vigilance and professionalism.
Marwa warned that the recent wave of large-scale cannabis seizures points to an organised effort by international drug syndicates to flood the Nigerian market with synthetic cannabis products.
“This second massive seizure in less than a week is a clear message to international syndicates who think they can use our ports as entry points for their soul-destroying trade,” Marwa stated.
He added that the collaboration between NDLEA, the Nigeria Customs Service, and international anti-narcotics agencies was producing significant results, vowing that authorities would continue efforts to dismantle the supply networks behind the shipments.
