The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has officially taken possession of 6,778.5 kilograms of Canadian Loud, a high-potency cannabis strain, which was intercepted at the Apapa Seaport in Lagos.
The consignment was formally handed over to the NDLEA on Wednesday during a joint ceremony at the port following its interception in a coordinated examination involving operatives of the NDLEA, the Nigeria Customs Service, and other security agencies.
In a statement issued by the agency’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (retd), represented by the Director of Seaport Operations, ACGN Ibinabo Archie-Abia, described the operation as a major breakthrough made possible through inter-agency cooperation.
Marwa stated that the seizures, recorded on June 15 and June 24, 2026, send a strong message of the agency’s determination to dismantle drug trafficking syndicates operating within and outside Nigeria.
He explained that the operation was the result of months of intelligence-led surveillance conducted by the NDLEA Special Investigation Unit and Marine Intelligence Unit in collaboration with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Nigeria Customs Service.
According to him, the drug cartels attempted to use complex international shipping routes to avoid detection, but sustained monitoring enabled security agencies to track and intercept the consignments across multiple countries before they reached Nigeria.
He detailed the movement of the first container, identified as CAAU 7569127, which left Toronto on April 16, 2026. It was transported by rail to Montreal before being loaded onto the vessel Ghallow Express. The shipment later arrived at Tangier Med, Morocco, on May 6, 2026, where it was transferred to another vessel, Spartel Trader, which docked at Tin Can Island Port on May 27, 2026.
The container was subsequently moved to the Global Bonded Terminal and later transferred by water to Apapa Port on June 10, 2026, where it was intercepted during a joint inspection by NDLEA, Customs and other security operatives.
Marwa further disclosed that the second container, HAMU 3246311, departed Montreal on May 1 aboard the vessel Africa Express and was later transferred to Algeciras Express on May 15.
It arrived at Tin Can Island Port before being discharged on June 4, 2026, and subsequently moved to Apapa Port on June 22, 2026, where it was intercepted by NDLEA operatives.
The NDLEA boss stressed that the agency would not only focus on drug seizures but also intensify efforts to track and dismantle the financial networks behind drug trafficking operations.
He noted that the huge profits from illicit drug trade continue to fuel criminal activities despite their devastating impact on individuals and society.
“Our work does not end with seizure. We are committed to identifying, arresting and prosecuting those responsible, confiscating their criminal assets, and ensuring they derive no benefit from their illegal enterprise,” he said.
Marwa also commended the professionalism of NDLEA personnel, the Nigeria Customs Service, and other collaborating security agencies, describing their cooperation as key to the success of the operation.
He said the achievement demonstrated the effectiveness of intelligence sharing, international cooperation and coordinated enforcement in combating transnational drug trafficking networks.
ADEOLA KUNLE
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