KEY POINTS

• NDLEA seized N1.04 billion worth of Canadian Loud cannabis in a Victoria Island hotel, arresting three suspects and recovering luxury assets.

• Over two million tramadol pills bound for Niger and Yobe were intercepted in Kano and Jigawa, amid rising abuse in the region.

• Cocaine hidden in cosmetics and religious texts, alongside cross-border cannabis smuggling, underscores Nigeria’s role in global drug networks.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has dismantled a major drug syndicate operating out of an upscale hotel in Lagos, seizing 589 bags of Canadian Loud—a potent cannabis strain—worth N1.04 billion.

The raid, conducted between April 25 and 26, 2025, at an 80-room hotel in Victoria Island, also led to the arrest of three suspects and the confiscation of luxury assets, including vehicles, TVs, and refrigerators. Two accomplices remain at large.

“The hotel served as a front for distributing illicit drugs. Our operatives uncovered a sophisticated operation exploiting the facility’s proximity to international business hubs,” said NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi.

Canadian Loud, known for its high THC content, has surged in popularity among Nigerian youth, contributing to rising addiction rates.

According to Channelstv, the NDLEA estimates that Lagos accounts for 40% of Nigeria’s illicit drug trade due to its bustling ports and transnational networks.

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In parallel operations, NDLEA officers intercepted over two million tramadol pills in Kano and Jigawa states. Acting on intelligence, anti-narcotic teams halted a Toyota Sienna transporting 200,000 pills and 217,500 pregabalin capsules destined for Niger Republic and Yobe State.

A follow-up raid in Kano uncovered an additional 1.58 million pills stashed in an 18-seater bus, bringing the total seizure to 2,001,500 pills. “This shipment could have fueled a public health crisis. Tramadol abuse is rampant in the North, often linked to criminal activities,” Babafemi added.

Meanwhile, at Lagos’ Murtala Muhammed International Airport, NDLEA’s Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI) intercepted 547 grams of cocaine concealed in body cream en route to the Middle East. This follows a recent seizure of 20 cocaine parcels hidden in religious books bound for Saudi Arabia. “Traffickers increasingly exploit courier services, but our profiling systems are adapting,” noted Babafemi.

The agency also arrested three Ghanaian women at the Seme border with 4.8kg of Ghanaian cannabis, highlighting cross-border collaboration challenges. NDLEA Chairman Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa praised the interagency efforts, stating, “These operations reflect our resolve to disrupt supply chains and protect vulnerable communities.”