Marwa vows to crush drug syndicates as NDLEA seizes N10.4bn cannabis consignment at Tincan Island Port

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Stanley Ihedigbo

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Mohamed Buba Marwa, has vowed to dismantle international drug trafficking networks operating through Nigerian ports following the interception of a massive consignment of Canadian Loud valued at N10.4 billion at the Tincan Island Port in Lagos.

The seizure, involving 4,173.5 kilograms of the high-potency cannabis strain concealed inside imported vehicles, was carried out through a joint intelligence-led operation involving the NDLEA, Nigeria Customs Service, and international partners from Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

According to the Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, the shipment originated from Toronto, Canada, on March 28, before being transported by rail to Montreal, where it was loaded aboard the vessel, Jakarta Express Voyage.

The cargo reportedly arrived at Tanger Med Port in Morocco on April 15, where it was discharged and later reloaded onto another vessel, Osaka Voyage, which eventually arrived in Lagos on Saturday, May 9, 2026.

The agency disclosed that operatives of its Marine Intelligence Unit and the Tincan Island Strategic Command closely monitored the shipment for more than two months, working 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 operation culminated in the seizure of the drugs on Tuesday, May 12, during a joint examination of the container involving NDLEA operatives, officers of the Nigeria Customs Service, and other security agencies.

NDLEA said the Canadian Loud was professionally concealed inside two imported vehicles, a used Ford bus and a Mercedes-Benz C300 car, hidden within the shipping container to evade detection.

The latest seizure comes barely four days after operatives of the agency raided a mansion in Lekki, Lagos, allegedly being used as a stash house, where 4,000 parcels of the same psychoactive substance weighing 2,326 kilograms and valued at over N5.8 billion were recovered.

Speaking during the handover of the seized exhibits in Lagos on Wednesday, the Director of Seaports Operations of the NDLEA, ACG Ibinabo ArchieAbia, described the operation as a breakthrough against transnational drug trafficking networks.

He noted that the successful interception demonstrated the strength of inter-agency cooperation, intelligence-led operations, and international collaboration in tackling organized crime.

“This achievement once again demonstrates the effectiveness of inter-agency cooperation, international collaboration, and intelligence-driven operations in combating transnational organized crime and illicit drug trafficking,” he stated.

Reacting to the development, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Mohamed Buba Marwa, commended officers of the Tincan Command and the Marine Intelligence Unit for their vigilance and professionalism.

Marwa said the recent wave of seizures indicated a coordinated attempt 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 the international syndicates who think they can use our ports as entry points for their soul-destroying trade, that the synergy between NDLEA and Customs Service, as well as other security agencies and our international partners, is yielding fantastic results,” he said.

The NDLEA boss vowed that the agency would continue to intensify efforts with both local and international partners until all those involved in the illicit drug supply chain are apprehended and prosecuted.

“We will not rest until every link in this supply chain is broken and those behind these shipments are brought to justice,” Marwa added.