Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), in collaboration with the Nigeria Customs Service, has again intercepted a major transnational drug trafficking attempt at the Tincan Island Port, Lagos, seizing 4,173.5 kilograms of Cannabis Indica valued at approximately ₦10.4 billion, causing another major blow to international drug trafficking networks.
The illicit consignment was uncovered during a joint container examination at the port, in what security agencies described as a significant breakthrough against an international drug trafficking network operating through maritime routes.
According to Nigeria customs, it was disclosed that the banned substances were hidden inside a used Ford bus and a Mercedes-Benz C300 vehicle shipped in a 40-foot container from Canada. Investigations revealed that the traffickers carefully concealed the drugs in an apparent attempt to evade detection during routine port checks.
Addressing journalists during the inspection and handover ceremony, the Customs Area Controller of Tincan Island Port Command, Comptroller Frank Onyeka, described the interception as a clear indication that criminal syndicates remain determined to use Nigerian ports to smuggle dangerous substances into the country.
He stressed that the successful operation also demonstrated the heightened vigilance, professionalism, and collaboration among security agencies working to safeguard the nation’s borders.
According to Onyeka, officers of the Enforcement Unit intercepted and subjected the container, identified as HAMU247034, to a detailed physical examination after intelligence reports raised suspicion about its contents.
“The container was found to contain 8,347 packages of cannabis sativa weighing 4,173.5 kilograms with an estimated street value of ₦16.6 billion. This is not just another seizure; it represents a deliberate attempt by criminal elements to threaten national security and profit from the destruction of innocent lives, especially our youths,” he said.
Tin can Island Customs described the seizure as another indication that drug trafficking syndicates were becoming more desperate and sophisticated in their methods.
In his words, “Just two weeks ago, we recorded a similar seizure involving 4,729 kilogrammes of cannabis. The recurrence indicates that criminal elements remain determined to compromise the nation’s ports and flood the country with dangerous substances,” he said.
Onyeka stressed that the Command would continue to strengthen cargo profiling, surveillance and intelligence-driven enforcement to frustrate the activities of traffickers operating through the maritime domain.
He added that the Service was deploying advanced risk assessment strategies and closer inter-agency collaboration to detect suspicious shipments before they enter the domestic market.
Comptroller Onyeka warned officers and collaborators aiding criminal activities that the agency would not hesitate to prosecute anyone found compromising national security for personal gain
Speaking, the Director of Seaport Operations at the NDLEA, ACGN Ibinabo Achie Abia, commended the joint operation, describing it as a major victory against transnational organized crime and illicit drug trafficking.
She revealed that the operation was the result of months of intelligence gathering, surveillance and collaboration involving both local and international security agencies, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).
According to her, the shipment originated from Toronto, Canada, on March 28, 2026, before passing through multiple transit points, including Montreal, in an apparent attempt by traffickers to evade detection.
“The criminals employed several routing strategies to frustrate monitoring efforts, but through sustained intelligence and operational synergy, the consignment was successfully tracked and intercepted,” she stated.
Archie Abia said the successful interception underscored the importance of intelligence sharing and global cooperation in disrupting international drug trafficking operations.
She added that security agencies were expanding collaboration with foreign partners to track the movement of illicit consignments across international shipping routes.
She further disclosed that the seized consignment would undergo forensic examination and further investigation as authorities move to identify and prosecute all those connected to the shipment.
The seized drugs and vehicles linked to the operation have now been formally handed over to the NDLEA for further investigation, prosecution, and eventual forfeiture in accordance with the law.
Reaffirming its anti-narcotics campaign, the NDLEA, under the leadership of Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (rtd), said it remains committed to dismantling drug trafficking networks and preventing Nigerian ports from being used as transit hubs for illicit drugs.
0 Comments