The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted drug shipments worth over ₦3.3 billion destined for distribution in Mushin, Lagos.
The seizures, which included large quantities of Methamphetamine and Loud — a potent strain of synthetic cannabis — were cleverly concealed in automobile spare parts imported from Canada.
The breakthrough operation unfolded at the Tincan Seaport in Lagos after months of meticulous intelligence tracking across three continents.
The coordinated effort led to the arrest of three businessmen closely tied to the shipments.
Major Bust at Tincan Seaport
On December 12, 2024, NDLEA operatives, during a joint examination at the Sifax Bonded Terminal, uncovered 5.001 kilograms of methamphetamine hidden inside a bag wrapped in a bed sheet inside a Toyota Camry. The find prompted the immediate arrest of Isaac Onwumere, a businessman linked to the consignment.
The following day, on December 13, agents examining another container found a massive haul: 1,735 parcels of Loud weighing 867.5 kilograms packed into 44 jumbo bags, alongside 87 packs of methamphetamine weighing 78.3 kilograms concealed in six plastic coolers. This seizure led to the arrests of Nwanolue Emeka and Friday Ogbe.
Street Value of the Seizures
The combined haul had a staggering street value:
- Methamphetamine (83.301 kg): ₦124.9 million
- Loud (867.5 kg): ₦2.17 billion
International Intelligence Operation
The NDLEA’s intelligence network tracked these shipments from Toronto, Canada, starting on October 4, 2024. The cargo traveled through Montreal and Antwerp, Belgium, before arriving in Lagos on December 1, 2024. This sophisticated tracking involved collaboration with Customs and other port stakeholders.
NDLEA Chairman’s Message to Cartels
Commending the operation success, NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), warned drug syndicates: “These operational successes should show the drug barons and cartels that the Agency has the capacity and intelligence network to track their movements and consignments even before they arrive in Nigeria. They will continue to lose heavily if they fail to back down on this criminal trade.”
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