TinCan Customs Makes Second Major Drug Bust in 2 Weeks, Seizes ₦16.6 billion Cannabis Indica …Hands Over 4.1 Tonnes to NDLEA
TinCan Customs Makes Second Major Drug Bust in 2 Weeks, Seizes ₦16.6 billion Cannabis Indica
…Hands Over 4.1 Tonnes to NDLEA
By Silas Onuoha
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has recorded another major anti-narcotics breakthrough at TinCan Island Port, Lagos, intercepting a massive consignment of Cannabis Indica valued at about ₦16.6 billion and handing over the seizure to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
The illicit shipment, weighing 4,173.5 kilogrammes, was discovered inside a 40-foot container that arrived from Canada. The drugs were concealed within a used Ford bus and a Mercedes-Benz C300 in an attempt to evade routine inspection. Intelligence-led surveillance and joint operations by Customs and NDLEA officers ultimately led to the discovery.
Speaking during the inspection and handover, the Customs Area Controller of TinCan Island Port Command, Comptroller Frank Onyeka, said the container—identified as HAMU 247034/8—was flagged for thorough examination following credible intelligence linking the shipment to suspicious activities.
According to him, physical examination uncovered 8,347 packages of Cannabis Indica hidden within the imported vehicles. He noted that the seizure reflects the persistence of transnational trafficking networks attempting to exploit Nigeria’s maritime gateways despite tightened security.
Comptroller Onyeka informed that the Command had intercepted another cannabis shipment weighing 4,729 kilogrammes just two weeks earlier, describing the repeated attempts as evidence of the determination of criminal syndicates to infiltrate Nigerian ports.
He assured that the Command will continue to strengthen cargo profiling, surveillance, and intelligence-driven enforcement, warning that anyone found collaborating with traffickers, including insiders within the port environment, will face prosecution.
Onyeka commended Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, for deepening inter-agency cooperation, and acknowledged the support of NDLEA Chairman Buba Marwa for sustained intelligence sharing.
Receiving the consignment, NDLEA Director of Seaport Operations, Ibinabo ArchieAbia, informed that the shipment had been under surveillance for months before arriving in Lagos.
She explained that the container originated in Toronto, moved through Montreal, transited Morocco’s Tanger Med Port, and was eventually shipped to Nigeria.
She added that the operation involved collaboration with international law enforcement partners, including the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and the UK Home Office.
ArchieAbia noted that the seized drugs will undergo forensic analysis as investigations continue to identify and prosecute financiers, freight agents, and local collaborators linked to the illegal importation.
The latest bust adds to a growing list of major narcotics interceptions at Nigerian ports, highlighting intensified efforts by security agencies to curb the flow of illicit drugs into the country.
