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 those behind the importation of 1,000kg of cocaine intercepted at the PTML Terminal, Tincan Island Port, Lagos.
This was revealed in a statement on Tuesday by the NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi.
According to Babafemi, operators at the PTML Terminal discovered the drug-laden shipment in an empty container and promptly alerted port stakeholders, including the NDLEA and the Nigeria Customs Service, leading to a joint examination.
He said preliminary field tests carried out by NDLEA operatives confirmed the substance as cocaine, after which the consignment was taken into custody on Tuesday, November 11, 2025.
The statement partly read, “The NDLEA is working with the United States Drug Enforcement Administration and the United Kingdom National Crime Agency 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.
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“The PTML operators had noticed the consignment in an empty container last weekend and invited port stakeholders, including the NDLEA, Customs and other security agencies for a joint examination.
“After a field test by the NDLEA confirmed the shipment to be cocaine, the consignment was formally transferred to NDLEA custody for further investigation on Tuesday, November 11, 2025, following collaborative engagements between the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (retd.), and the Comptroller General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi.”
Babafemi said the cocaine, valued at over $235 million (about N338 billion), represents the largest single seizure of the substance at the Tincan Port.
He disclosed that Marwa directed that international partners be involved due to the scale of the seizure and the suspected global network of the cartel behind it.
Officers of the US DEA and UK NCA have since joined the investigation.
“As a result of the large quantity of the recovered Class A drug, which is worth over $235 million (over N338 billion) on the international market, and the global dimension to the cocaine cartel, Marwa on Tuesday, November 11, directed that the agency’s leading international partners be involved in the investigation.
“In a swift response to the agency’s request, officers of the US DEA and UK NCA have already joined the ongoing investigation of the largest single seizure of cocaine at the Tincan Port, Lagos,” the statement added.
On Sunday, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) published a list of suspects arrested for drug-related offences, including a wanted trafficker, 40-year-old Yussuf Azeez, who was nabbed at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.
Azeez was arrested on Thursday, November 6, 2025, while attempting to board a flight to Saudi Arabia for the lesser Hajj (Umrah).
