NDLEA Seizes N10.4bn Canadian Loud at Lagos Port

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) made a huge seizure at the Tincan Island Port in Lagos on Tuesday, 12th May 2026. Operatives intercepted a large consignment of Canadian Loud, a high-potency strain of cannabis, weighing 4,173.5 kilograms with a street value of over N10.4 billion.

The successful interdiction of the illicit drug consignment followed painstaking intelligence gathering and sustained surveillance. The container was trailed after it left Toronto, Canada on 28th March. The huge consignment was first conveyed through rails to Montreal. There, it was loaded on board a vessel, Jakarta Express Voyage, which arrived at Tanger Med Port in Morocco on 15th April. It was discharged and reloaded on another vessel, Osaka voyage. This vessel eventually arrived at Lagos Port on Saturday, 9th May 2026.

The over two months of monitoring the shipment by the Marine Intelligence Unit of NDLEA and the Tincan Island Strategic Command of the Agency, working in close collaboration with international partners, particularly the United Kingdom Home Office International Operations, the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, culminated in the eventual seizure of the consignment. The illicit drug consignments from Canada were professionally packed and concealed inside two vehicles: a used Ford Bus and a Mercedes-Benz C300 car. These were stashed within the shipping container.

Speaking during the handover of the exhibits by the NCS at the Port in Lagos on Wednesday, NDLEA's Director of Seaports Operations, ACG Ibinabo ArchieAbia, said this achievement demonstrates the effectiveness of inter-agency cooperation, international collaboration, and intelligence-driven operations in combating transnational organized crime and illicit drug trafficking.

The Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended the officers of the Tincan Command and the MIU of the Agency for their vigilance and professional conduct. He noted the volume of recent Loud seizures highlights a coordinated attempt by international drug syndicates to flood the Nigerian market with synthetic strains of cannabis.

"This second massive seizure in less than a week sends a clear message to international syndicates. They can't use Nigerian ports as entry points for their soul-destroying trade. The synergy between NDLEA and Customs Service, as well as other security agencies and international partners like the Canadian Royal Mounted Police, the UK-HOIO, and the US DEA, is yielding fantastic results," Marwa stated.

The development comes barely four days after NDLEA operatives raided a Lekki mansion used as a stash house. They recovered 4,000 parcels of the same psychoactive substance, weighing 2,326 kilograms, worth over N5.8 billion.

The NDLEA has been working tirelessly to curb the influx of illicit drugs into Nigeria. This seizure is a major blow to international drug syndicates because it disrupts their operations.

The NDLEA and other security agencies have been collaborating to ensure Nigeria's ports aren't used as entry points for illicit drugs. They're using intelligence-driven operations to track and seize consignments of illicit drugs.

The seizure of the Canadian Loud at the Lagos Port is a major achievement for the NDLEA and its partners. It shows their efforts are yielding results, with several major seizures made in recent times.

The NDLEA has vowed to continue working to break the supply chain of illicit drugs. They'll bring those behind these shipments to justice. The agency has been working closely with international partners to combat transnational organized crime and illicit drug trafficking.

The NDLEA's efforts have been commended. They're vigilant and professional in making seizures. The agency will continue to work to ensure Nigeria isn't used as a transit point for illicit drugs.