By Olaide Ajibola, JKNewsMedia Reporter
THE NATIONAL Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has confirmed active collaboration with the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the United Kingdom National Crime Agency (NCA) to trace and dismantle the international cartel responsible for the importation of a 1,000-kilogram cocaine shipment intercepted at the PTML Terminal of Tincan Island Port, Lagos.
According to a statement issued on Tuesday by the NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, the consignment, discovered by terminal operators last weekend in an empty container, was immediately flagged for joint examination by port stakeholders including NDLEA operatives, Customs officials, and other security agencies.
Field analysis conducted by NDLEA investigators confirmed the white substance as cocaine. Following established inter-agency protocols, the consignment was officially transferred to NDLEA custody on Tuesday, 11 November 2025, for further examination and investigation.
The Agency stated that the recovery, valued at over $235 million, equivalent to more than N338 billion on the international market—represents one of the largest single seizures of Class A narcotics at the Lagos port.
The statement further noted that NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retired), had initiated high-level discussions with the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Dr Adewale Adeniyi, immediately after the discovery to strengthen the ongoing joint operations at the port.
Following their deliberations, Marwa directed that the Agency’s established international partners be fully integrated into the probe due to the scale of the operation and the global links of the cartel.
The NDLEA confirmed that officers from both the US-DEA and UK-NCA had already joined the ongoing investigation team working to trace the origins, intended recipients, and financial networks behind the shipment.
According to the release, the NDLEA chief emphasised that international cooperation was critical to the success of the operation, given the transnational nature of the illicit trade.
“The essence of collaborating with our international partners on this case is to ensure no stone is left unturned and every gap is sufficiently covered so that ultimately we can get all the masterminds of this huge consignment brought to book wherever they are located across the globe,” Marwa stated.
He also commended the synergy between NDLEA and Customs in securing the container, describing it as a model for inter-agency collaboration in tackling cross-border organised crime.
“This followed personal, excellent engagement between me and the Customs CG on this case,” he said.
The NDLEA reiterated that the operation underlines Nigeria’s renewed capacity to combat narcotics smuggling through its major ports, especially as international drug trafficking syndicates increasingly attempt to use West African routes for large-scale shipments bound for global markets.
The agency disclosed that its forensic unit has commenced chemical profiling and evidence documentation to establish the source and composition of the cocaine, while parallel intelligence operations are ongoing to identify all individuals and corporate entities connected to the container.
Officials confirmed that the seizure forms part of NDLEA’s wider maritime surveillance and container inspection strategy, developed under Marwa’s leadership, which integrates risk profiling, advanced scanning, and intelligence sharing with port authorities and international enforcement bodies.
The NDLEA expressed appreciation to the PTML Terminal operators for their vigilance in promptly reporting the suspicious consignment, noting that such private-sector cooperation remains a vital component of the national narcotics control framework.
The Agency assured that details of subsequent arrests and findings will be made public upon the completion of investigations.
The NDLEA, in its statement, reaffirmed its determination to pursue every lead emerging from the seizure to ensure that the syndicate responsible for the trafficking attempt is dismantled completely and its members prosecuted in accordance with Nigerian and international law.
Babafemi concluded that the operation reflects the Agency’s “zero tolerance” stance on drug trafficking and reinforces its commitment to working closely with global enforcement partners to prevent Nigeria from being exploited as a transit hub for illicit narcotics.
