NDLEA Partners US, UK to Probe N338bn Cocaine Seized at Lagos Port
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has launched a joint investigation with the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the United Kingdom National Crime Agency (NCA) to uncover the cartel behind a massive consignment of cocaine weighing 1,000 kilograms recovered at the PTML Terminal of Tincan Island Port, Lagos.
The illicit substance, valued at over $235 million (₦338 billion) in the international market, represents one of the largest single seizures of cocaine in the history of the Lagos port.
According to NDLEA, the discovery was made after the PTML terminal operators observed suspicious items inside an empty container last weekend and immediately alerted relevant security agencies, including NDLEA and the Nigeria Customs Service. A field test conducted by NDLEA officers confirmed the substance as cocaine.
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Following collaborative engagements between the NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd.), and the Comptroller General of Customs, Dr. Adewale Adeniyi, the consignment was officially handed over to NDLEA for investigation on Tuesday, November 11, 2025.
Given the international scale of the operation, Marwa directed the involvement of the agency’s global partners to ensure a thorough probe and coordinated enforcement action across borders.
“In view of the magnitude and global dimension of this seizure, we have engaged our partners in the US-DEA and UK-NCA to ensure no stone is left unturned,” Marwa stated. “The goal is to identify and bring to justice all those behind this huge consignment, regardless of where they are located across the world.”
In response to NDLEA’s request, operatives of the US-DEA and UK-NCA have already joined the ongoing investigation, marking a new phase in the international collaboration against transnational drug trafficking networks.
NDLEA’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, who confirmed the development in a statement from the agency’s headquarters in Abuja, said the partnership underscores Nigeria’s commitment to strengthening global cooperation in the fight against drug trafficking.
By PRNigeria
