The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted a major illicit drug shipment disguised as green tea at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Ikeja, Lagos. The operation, based on credible intelligence, culminated in the seizure of sixty-six parcels of Loud, a potent strain of cannabis, weighing 62.20kg. The consignment, which originated from Thailand via the UAE on an Emirates Airlines flight, was seized on Thursday, June 5, 2025.
According to the NDLEA, the shipment had been on their watchlist since its arrival on May 11. Sustained surveillance and collaboration with other stakeholders led to its eventual interception at the import shed of the airport’s cargo wing.
In a separate operation in Lagos, NDLEA operatives also intercepted a massive 1,665kg haul of skunk—another strain of cannabis—on Monday, June 2, along the Lekki-Ajah expressway. Two suspects, Gidado Abdulrasaq Ayinde and Obanla Oluwafemi, were arrested in connection with the seizure.
The agency’s efforts extended to Kaduna, where patrol operatives along the Abuja-Kaduna expressway apprehended 29-year-old Goodluck Nnaemeka on June 3. He was found in possession of 612 bottles of codeine-based syrup and 2,970 pills of flunitrazepam. On the same day, a 52-year-old wanted drug dealer, Kabiru Musa (alias KB), was arrested in Kurmin Mashi, where 25.7kg of skunk had earlier been recovered.
In Edo State, NDLEA operatives recovered 9kg of Loud from the spare tyre compartment of an Audi station wagon driven by Atari Israel, 45, along Auchi Road. Also in Benin City, two young women, Favour Joy and Joy Igwe, were arrested on Tuesday, June 3, in the Ikpoba Hill area. Recovered from their possession were 106.57kg of skunk, 1kg of Loud, 800 grams of Colorado, and 302 grams of methamphetamine.
Meanwhile, the agency continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization campaigns in schools and communities across the country. Recent outreach efforts included lectures at educational institutions in Katsina, Ebonyi, Cross River, Lagos, and Anambra states. NDLEA’s Zone 13 Command also paid an advocacy visit to the Amayanabo of Nembe Kingdom, Dr. Edmund Dakoru, in Bayelsa State.
NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended the agency’s personnel in Lagos, Kaduna, and Edo for their successful operations. He also praised officers nationwide for maintaining a balance between curbing drug supply and addressing drug demand through preventive advocacy.