LAGOS — In a major blow to international drug trafficking networks, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted a massive consignment of Canadian Loud at the Tincan Island Port in Lagos. The high-potency synthetic strain of cannabis, weighing a staggering 4,173.5 kilogrammes, boasts an estimated street value of ₦10,433,750,000.
A Two-Month Global Tracking Operation
The successful bust was the climax of over two months of rigorous intelligence gathering, tracking, and surveillance by the NDLEA’s Marine Intelligence Unit and the Tincan Island Strategic Command. According to a statement released on Wednesday by the agency’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, the container underwent a complex transit route to evade detection after leaving Toronto, Canada, on March 28.
The illicit cargo's journey involved several transloads across international borders:
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Canada: Moved by rail from Toronto to Montreal, where it was loaded onto the vessel Jakarta Express.
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Morocco: Arrived at the Tanger Med Port on April 15, where it was discharged and reloaded onto a second vessel, the Osaka.
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Nigeria: Arrived at the Lagos port on Saturday, May 9, 2026.
The eventual breakthrough and seizure on Tuesday, May 12, were achieved through seamless collaboration with key global security allies, including the United Kingdom Home Office International Operations, the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).
Vehicles Used as Multi-Billion Naira Shield
During a joint physical examination conducted by NDLEA operatives, the Nigeria Customs Service, and other port security agencies, the narcotics were found cleverly concealed. Traffickers had packed the 4,173.5 kilograms of synthetic cannabis inside two vehicles a used Ford bus and a Mercedes-Benz C300 car stuffed inside the shipping container.
This massive port interception comes just four days after a separate high-profile raid by the anti-narcotics agency. Operatives had previously stormed a luxury mansion in the Lekki axis of Lagos, which was being utilized as a cartel stash house. That raid yielded 4,000 parcels of the same psychoactive substance, weighing 2,326 kilograms and valued at ₦5.815 billion. Combined, the agency has taken over ₦16.2 billion worth of Canadian Loud off the streets in less than a week.
A Stern Warning from Leadership
Speaking on Wednesday during the official handover of the exhibits by the Nigeria Customs Service at the Lagos port, the NDLEA Director of Seaports Operations, ACG Ibinabo Archie-Abia, lauded the operation as a textbook example of the power of intelligence-led policing and inter-agency cooperation against transnational organized crime.
Reacting to the twin successes, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Marwa (rtd.), praised his officers for their uncompromising professionalism. He warned that international cartels are actively trying to flood Nigeria with dangerous synthetic cannabis strains but assured that the country's borders remain heavily fortified.
"This second massive seizure in less than a week is a clear message to international syndicates who think they can use our ports as entry points for their soul-destroying trade," Marwa stated defiantly. "The synergy between the NDLEA, Customs, and our international partners is yielding fantastic results. We will not rest until every link in this supply chain is broken."
