The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted consignments of Loud, a potent strain of cannabis, and codeine-based cough syrup valued at more than ₦5 billion at major seaports in Lagos and Rivers states.
The seizures were made at the Apapa and Tin Can Island ports in Lagos and Onne Port in Rivers State, following months of intelligence gathering and tracking of the shipments from their countries of origin, the agency said.
At the Tin Can Island Port in Lagos, NDLEA operatives on September 29 searched a watch-listed container shipped from Montreal, Canada.
The operation resulted in the recovery of 2,595 parcels of Canadian Loud weighing 1,297.5kg, with an estimated street value of more than ₦3.8 billion.
According to the NDLEA, the drugs were concealed inside a Toyota Sienna and a Hyundai Elantra, alongside 24 blue drums and six jumbo bags.
At Apapa Port, NDLEA officers working with the Nigeria Customs Service and other stakeholders subjected two containers shipped from Bangkok, Thailand, to thorough examination.
The agency said one of the containers contained 161 parcels of Thai Loud weighing 124kg, valued at approximately ₦372 million.
The cannabis was allegedly concealed inside two refrigerators and two cartons within the container.
At Onne Port in Rivers State, two containers placed on the NDLEA watchlist were subjected to joint examination with Customs and other security agencies.
Operatives recovered 40 packs of Loud weighing 22kg, concealed in a travelling bag and three of five vehicles shipped in one of the containers.
A second container contained 109,600 bottles of codeine-based cough syrup weighing 16,440kg.
The NDLEA said the container originated from India and was shipped to Saudi Arabia, where its origin history was allegedly deleted before onward shipment in an attempt to avoid detection.
The agency placed the combined street value of the Loud and codeine consignments seized at Onne at ₦833.2 million.
The agency also disclosed the arrest of a 38-year-old businessman, Philip Tunde, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.
According to NDLEA, the suspect was arrested on September 27 while preparing to board a Royal Air Maroc flight to Milan, Italy.
A search allegedly uncovered 4.80kg of cocaine concealed in the soles of eight pairs of trainers and canvas shoes, as well as in the railings of four travelling bags.
The agency said the suspect told investigators that he paid ₦16 million in cash for the cocaine hidden in the shoes, while another portion concealed in the bags was intended for delivery to a partner in Italy. These are allegations contained in the NDLEA account and have not been established by a court.
NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended officers involved in the operations and urged them to sustain intelligence-led efforts against drug trafficking networks.
The latest seizures form part of wider NDLEA operations across the country, including the destruction of 20,234kg of cannabis cultivated on 8.0936 hectares in Ife South Local Government Area of Osun State.
The agency said its operations will continue alongside prevention and public-awareness programmes under its War Against Drug Abuse initiative.
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