09 June 2025
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted a major shipment of Loud, a potent variant of cannabis, cleverly disguised as green tea at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos.
The 66 parcels, weighing 62.20kg, were seized at the airport’s import shed on Thursday, June 5, following weeks of intense surveillance informed by intelligence reports. The illegal consignment, which originated from Thailand and passed through the United Arab Emirates aboard an Emirates Airlines flight, had been under NDLEA’s watch since May 11.
NDLEA’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, confirmed the development, saying, “The NDLEA had watch-listed the shipment and kept it under sustained surveillance for over three weeks before moving in for a joint inspection with other stakeholders. The traffickers thought they could beat our system by packaging it as green tea, but we were a step ahead.”
In another operation in Lagos on Monday, June 2, NDLEA officers intercepted a large consignment of skunk, weighing 1,665kg, along the Lekki-Ajah expressway. Two suspects, Gidado Abdulrasaq Ayinde and Obanla Oluwafemi, were arrested in connection with the haul.
The anti-narcotics agency also recorded significant breakthroughs in other parts of the country. Along the Abuja-Kaduna expressway, operatives arrested 29-year-old Goodluck Nnaemeka with 612 bottles of codeine-based syrup and nearly 3,000 pills of flunitrazepam.
That same day in Kaduna, NDLEA operatives arrested a 52-year-old notorious drug dealer, Kabiru Musa, also known as KB, at Kurmin Mashi. From his hideout, they recovered 25.7kg of skunk.
In Edo State, 9kg of Loud was discovered stashed in the spare tyre compartment of an Audi station wagon driven by 45-year-old Atari Israel along the Auchi road.
Two young women, Favour Joy and Joy Igwe, were also arrested in Benin City’s Ikpoba Hill area with a combined stash of 106.57kg of skunk, 1kg of Loud, 800 grams of Colorado, and 302 grams of methamphetamine.
“These arrests reflect the agency’s commitment to disrupting drug trafficking networks across the country,” Babafemi said.
Beyond arrests, NDLEA intensified its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign through sensitization programmes in schools and communities. Lectures were held in Katsina, Ebonyi, Cross River, Lagos, and Anambra, while advocacy visits were made to traditional leaders like the Amayanabo of Nembe Kingdom in Bayelsa State.
Reacting to the week’s successes, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive, retired Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa, applauded the operatives in Lagos, Kaduna, Edo, and across the country for their diligence.
“Our officers are not only intercepting drugs but also ensuring that communities are enlightened through our demand-reduction strategy. It’s a tough battle, but we’re making progress,” Marwa said.
The agency reiterated its commitment to sustaining the momentum in the fight against drug abuse and trafficking across Nigeria.
