The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has officially taken custody of 6,778.5 kilograms of Canadian Loud, a high-grade strain of cannabis, intercepted at the Apapa Port in Lagos during a joint operation involving the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and other security agencies.
According to a statement issued on Wednesday by NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, the massive drug haul was uncovered after months of intelligence gathering by the agency’s Special Investigation Unit and Marine Intelligence Unit, working closely with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Nigeria Customs Service.
During the handover ceremony at Apapa Port, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), represented by the Director of Seaport Operations, ACGN Ibinabo Archie-Abia, described the seizure as a significant breakthrough in the fight against international drug trafficking.
Marwa revealed that the operation followed two major interceptions made on June 15 and June 24, 2026. He explained that traffickers used sophisticated international shipping routes in an attempt to evade security checks, but NDLEA operatives successfully tracked the consignments across several countries before intercepting them in Lagos.
The first container, identified as CAAU 7569127, departed Toronto, Canada, on April 16, 2026. It was transported by rail to Montreal before being shipped through Morocco to Tin Can Island Port and later transferred to Apapa Port, where it was intercepted.
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The second container, HAMU 3246311, left Montreal on May 1 aboard the vessel Africa Express. It was later trans-shipped onto Algeciras Express before arriving at Tin Can Island Port and eventually Apapa Port, where NDLEA officials seized the illicit cargo.
Marwa stressed that the agency’s efforts extend beyond seizing illegal drugs, noting that it is also committed to identifying, arresting, and prosecuting those behind drug trafficking while confiscating assets linked to the criminal operations.
He commended the Nigeria Customs Service and other security agencies for their cooperation, saying the successful operation highlights the importance of intelligence sharing, inter-agency collaboration, and international partnerships in tackling transnational organised crime.
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