The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has formally taken custody of 6,778.5 kilograms of Canadian Loud, a highly potent strain of cannabis, intercepted at the Apapa Port in Lagos, describing the seizure as one of the most significant blows against transnational drug trafficking networks in recent times.
According to an official statement signed by the Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, the illicit consignment was uncovered during a joint examination of two containers by operatives of the NDLEA, the Nigeria Customs Service and other security agencies following months of intelligence-driven surveillance and international collaboration.
Speaking during the formal handover ceremony at Apapa Port on Wednesday, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), who was represented by the Agency’s Director of Seaport Operations, ACGN Ibinabo Archie-Abia, described the seizure as a landmark achievement that underscored the growing effectiveness of inter-agency cooperation in combating organised crime.
Marwa said the twin interceptions, recorded on June 15 and June 24, 2026, send a strong warning to international drug trafficking syndicates that Nigerian authorities are more determined than ever to dismantle criminal networks operating within and beyond the country’s borders.
He explained that the successful operation resulted from months of painstaking intelligence gathering by the NDLEA Special Investigation Unit and the Marine Intelligence Unit in close collaboration with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Nigeria Customs Service.
According to the NDLEA Chairman, the traffickers employed sophisticated international maritime routes in an attempt to evade security agencies. However, intelligence operatives monitored the movement of the shipments across several continents before eventually intercepting them at the Apapa Port.
Marwa disclosed that the first container departed Toronto, Canada, on April 16, 2026, before being transported by rail to Montreal and shipped through Morocco to Nigeria, eventually arriving at the Global Bonded Terminal and later Apapa Port, where it was intercepted during a joint inspection.
He added that the second container left Montreal on May 1, 2026, passed through multiple international ports before arriving in Lagos, where officers who had been monitoring its movement successfully intercepted it upon arrival.
The NDLEA Chairman emphasized that the Agency’s efforts extend beyond confiscating illicit drugs, stressing that investigations would continue to identify, arrest and prosecute those behind the shipments while tracing and confiscating assets acquired through proceeds of drug trafficking.
He noted that the enormous financial gains generated by the illegal drug trade continue to fuel organised crime and inflict severe social and economic damage on individuals, families and communities, adding that the Agency remains committed to ensuring that criminal syndicates derive no benefit from their illicit activities.
Marwa also commended the Nigeria Customs Service and other participating security agencies for their professionalism, dedication and unwavering commitment throughout the operation.
He described the successful interception as a clear demonstration of the value of intelligence sharing, operational coordination and international cooperation in disrupting transnational organised crime and safeguarding Nigeria’s maritime gateways from illicit drug trafficking.
