Written by
Ishioma Appiah-Yeboah
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has taken custody of 6,778.5 kilograms of Canadian Loud, a high-grade strain of cannabis, following the interception of two containers at the Apapa Seaport in Lagos.
The seizure was made during a joint examination by operatives of the NDLEA, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), and other security agencies.
Speaking at the formal handover ceremony at Apapa Port on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), represented by the Director of Seaport Operations, ACGN Ibinabo Archie-Abia, described the operation as a significant example of inter-agency collaboration in combating transnational drug trafficking.
According to Marwa, the seizure resulted from two major interceptions carried out on June 15 and June 24, 2026, following months of intelligence-led investigations conducted by the NDLEA’s Special Investigation Unit and Marine Intelligence Unit in collaboration with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Nigeria Customs Service.
He said investigations showed that the drug consignments were shipped through multiple international maritime routes in an apparent attempt to evade detection.
The first container, identified as CAAU 7569127, departed Toronto on April 16, 2026, before being transported by rail to Montreal. It was later shipped to Morocco, trans-shipped onto another vessel, and eventually arrived in Nigeria, where it was intercepted during a joint examination at Apapa Port.
The second container, HAMU 3246311, left Montreal on May 1, 2026, and followed a separate shipping route through international ports before arriving in Lagos, where NDLEA operatives intercepted it.
Marwa said the agency would continue to target not only illicit drug shipments but also the criminal networks and financial structures behind the trade.
“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.
He also commended the cooperation between the NDLEA, the Nigeria Customs Service, and other security agencies, describing the operation as evidence of the effectiveness of intelligence sharing and coordinated enforcement efforts in tackling organised crime.