By Obasola Olatunde
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has launched a joint investigation with the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency (NCA) to trace the cartel behind the importation of 1,000 kilograms of cocaine worth over N338 billion ($235 million) intercepted at the PTML Terminal of Tincan Island Port, Lagos.
NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday, describing the haul as the largest single cocaine seizure ever recorded at the port.
According to the statement, operators at the PTML Terminal discovered the drug laden consignment inside an empty container and alerted port stakeholders, including the NDLEA and the Nigeria Customs Service, for a joint examination.
“Field tests conducted by NDLEA officers confirmed the substance to be cocaine, after which the consignment was taken into NDLEA custody on Tuesday, November 11, 2025,” Babafemi stated.
He added that NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (retd.), directed the involvement of international partners due to the global dimension of the trafficking network.
“As a result of the large quantity of the recovered Class A drug, worth over $235 million, and the suspected international reach of the cartel, Marwa ordered that the DEA and NCA be part of the probe,” Babafemi noted.
Following the directive, officers from both the US DEA and UK NCA have since joined NDLEA investigators in Lagos to uncover the syndicate responsible for the shipment.
The seizure, discovered last weekend, has renewed concerns about Nigeria’s maritime borders being exploited by international drug cartels.
Meanwhile, the NDLEA has intensified its nationwide crackdown on traffickers. Only days earlier, the agency arrested a wanted drug baron, Yussuf Azeez, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, while attempting to board a flight to Saudi Arabia for Umrah.