The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has launched a joint investigation with the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (US-DEA) and the United Kingdom National Crime Agency (UK-NCA) to uncover the cartel behind the importation of 1,000 kilograms of cocaine intercepted at the PTML Terminal, Tincan Island Port, Lagos.
This was disclosed in a statement on Tuesday by the NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi.
According to the statement, operators at the PTML Terminal discovered the drug-laden consignment in an empty container and promptly alerted port stakeholders, including the NDLEA and the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), for a joint examination.
Field tests conducted by NDLEA officers confirmed the substance to be cocaine, after which the shipment was transferred to the agency’s custody on Tuesday, November 11, 2025.
“The NDLEA is working with the United States DEA and the United Kingdom NCA to unravel the cartel behind the importation of 1,000kg of cocaine recovered from a container at the PTML Terminal of Tincan Island Port in Lagos,” the statement read in part.
Babafemi noted that the cocaine, valued at over $235 million (approximately ₦338 billion), represents the largest single seizure of the substance ever recorded at the Tincan Port.
He added that NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (retd.), directed the involvement of international partners due to the magnitude of the haul and its suspected global links.
“As a result of the large quantity of the recovered Class A drug and the global dimension of the cartel, Marwa directed that the agency’s leading international partners be involved in the investigation. In swift response, officers of the US DEA and UK NCA have since joined the ongoing probe,” Babafemi stated.
The interception followed collaborative engagements between Marwa and the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, underscoring the synergy between Nigerian and international anti-narcotic agencies.
The NDLEA, which has intensified its crackdown on drug trafficking networks, also recently arrested Yusuf Azeez, a 40-year-old wanted drug baron, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, while attempting to board a flight to Saudi Arabia for Umrah.
