The Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, Tin Can Island Port Command has handed over seized illicit substances valued at N16.7 billion to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, following a joint intelligence-led operation at the Lagos port. The interception involved a container loaded with Cannabis Indica imported into Nigeria through the seaport system.
Speaking during the handover ceremony, Customs Area Controller of Tin Can Island Port Command, Comptroller Frank Onyeka, said the seizure reflected growing attempts by criminal groups to use Nigerian ports for drug trafficking activities. He stated that the operation also demonstrated the effectiveness of collaboration between security agencies combating transnational crimes.
According to Onyeka, officers of the Nigeria Customs Service and NDLEA acted on credible intelligence before intercepting a 40-foot container identified as HAMU 247034/8. The container originated from Toronto, Canada, and was subjected to detailed physical examination after surveillance and intelligence tracking.
Customs officials discovered 8,347 packages of Cannabis Indica weighing 4,173.5 kilograms inside the container. Authorities estimated the street value of the seized illicit substances at approximately N16.694 billion.
Onyeka described the seizure as a threat to national security and public safety. He said: “This is not just another seizure. It represents a deliberate attempt by criminal gangs to undermine national security, endanger lives, and profit from the destruction of the future of our youths and hardworking citizens.”
He further assured Nigerians that the Tin Can Island Port Command would continue strengthening surveillance systems, intelligence gathering, and inter-agency cooperation to prevent the entry of narcotics and other prohibited goods into the country.
Director of Seaport Operations at NDLEA, Assistant Commander General of Narcotics Archieabia Ibinabo Ogboba, disclosed that the agency monitored the shipment for several months through its Marine Intelligence Unit in partnership with foreign agencies. She explained that traffickers used multiple transit routes in an attempt to evade law enforcement monitoring.
Ogboba stated that the successful interception resulted from intelligence sharing and sustained operational coordination among participating agencies. She added that the seized illicit substances would proceed through the required legal processes under Nigerian drug enforcement laws.
The seizure comes amid increasing efforts by Nigerian authorities to strengthen maritime security and combat drug trafficking through ports and border corridors. Security agencies have recently intensified inspections and intelligence operations targeting narcotics syndicates operating within international shipping networks.
Analysts note that trafficking of illicit substances remains a major concern for Nigeria’s public health and national security institutions due to links between drug abuse, organised crime, and youth-related violence. Authorities have repeatedly identified maritime channels as critical routes used by international trafficking networks.
The handover to NDLEA marks another major anti-narcotics operation involving coordinated action between Customs and drug enforcement authorities. Investigations are expected to continue as agencies work to identify individuals and networks connected to the shipment.
