NDLEA Intercepts Multi-Billion-Naira Drug Shipments at Lagos Seaport and Port Harcourt

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted significant drug shipments at the Tincan seaport in Lagos, as part of efforts to curb drug distribution during the festive season. The seizures, which involve methamphetamine and Loud—a potent strain of cannabis—were concealed in automobile spare parts imported from Canada. The operation followed months of intelligence-driven surveillance across three continents.

Femi Babafemi, the NDLEA spokesman, revealed that two separate shipments of methamphetamine were intercepted on December 12 and 13, 2024. The first consignment, containing 5.001 kg of methamphetamine, was hidden in a bag wrapped in a bedsheet inside a Toyota Camry. The second shipment, a larger consignment, included 867.5 kg of Loud and 78.3 kg of methamphetamine packed in plastic coolers. The total value of these drugs is estimated at N2.29 billion (N124.95 million for methamphetamine and N2.17 billion for Loud). Three businessmen were arrested in connection with these shipments.

In a separate operation at the Port Harcourt Port Complex in Rivers State, NDLEA intercepted 636,600 bottles of codeine-based syrup worth N4.46 billion, originating from India. These drugs were concealed in four containers and were seized following coordinated efforts with Customs and other agencies.

The NDLEA continues its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) with sensitization activities across schools, workplaces, and communities. Recent lectures were held in Anambra, Adamawa, Lagos, and Kano, emphasizing the dangers of drug abuse and the need for greater vigilance and education.