The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted shipments worth billions of naira, including methamphetamine and Loud (a potent synthetic strain of cannabis), intended for distribution during the festive season. These illicit drugs were hidden in containers carrying automobile spare parts imported from Canada and seized at the Tincan seaport in Lagos after months of coordinated intelligence operations across three continents.
Key Details of the Interception
Seizures at Tincan Port
On December 12th and 13th, 2024, NDLEA operatives recovered:
- Methamphetamine: Two consignments weighing a total of 83.301 kilograms, concealed in vehicles and auto parts bound for warehouses at the Ladipo market in Mushin, Lagos.
- One shipment (5.001 kg) was hidden in a bag wrapped in a bedsheet inside a Toyota Camry. A businessman, Isaac Onwumere, was arrested in connection with this.
- The second shipment (78.3 kg) was found alongside 1,735 parcels of Loud (867.5 kg), packed in jumbo bags and plastic coolers. Businessmen Nwanolue Emeka and Friday Ogbe were arrested in connection.
The estimated street value of the drugs:
- Methamphetamine: ₦124,951,000.00
- Loud: ₦2,168,750,000.00
Tracking Operation
The consignments were tracked through:
- Route 1: Shipped from Toronto to Montreal, trans-shipped through Antwerp, Belgium, and arrived at Lagos on December 1st, 2024.
- Route 2: Followed a similar path, arriving in Lagos on December 6th, 2024.
Massive Codeine Seizure at Onne Port
At the Port Harcourt Port Complex, Onne, Rivers State, NDLEA officers seized 636,600 bottles of codeine-based syrup valued at ₦4,456,200,000.00 in shipments from India during joint inspections on December 9th, 11th, and 13th.
Agency’s Broader Efforts
The NDLEA continues its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) initiative with sensitization campaigns in schools, religious centers, workplaces, and communities across Nigeria, including:
- City Comprehensive College, Ogidi, Anambra
- Government Secondary School, Toungo, Adamawa
- Bonny Camp Primary School, Victoria Island, Lagos
NDLEA’s Commitment
Chairman/CEO Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) praised the agency’s operatives for their successful operations. He warned drug cartels that the NDLEA possesses the capacity to track and disrupt their activities before the drugs reach Nigeria, ensuring continued losses for those involved in the illegal trade.
