Nigeria Customs hands over 30 wraps of potent cannabis to NDLEA as agencies intensify efforts to combat drug trafficking and protect public health.

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Port Harcourt Area I Command, has intercepted 30 wraps of Canadian Loud, a potent strain of cannabis, from a female passenger arriving in Nigeria from South Africa.

The seized substance was handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on October 7, 2026, for further investigation and necessary action, as authorities step up efforts to prevent illicit drugs from entering the country.

The interception was disclosed in a statement issued on October 8 by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Assistant Superintendent of Customs I, Barilule Aanee, on behalf of the Customs Area Controller.

According to the statement, the operation forms part of the Customs Service’s ongoing efforts to disrupt drug trafficking networks and prevent the movement of prohibited substances across Nigeria’s borders.

Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Salamatu Atuluku, stressed that tackling the trafficking of illicit drugs was critical to protecting public health and maintaining the safety of communities.

She warned that substances such as Canadian Loud could have serious consequences for users, particularly young people, due to their potential effects on mental health, judgment and productivity.

Atuluku noted that drug abuse could extend beyond individual users, placing additional pressure on families and creating wider social challenges for communities.

She also commended the officers involved in the interception, praising their vigilance and commitment to preventing prohibited substances from reaching the Nigerian public.

The Customs chief assured that the command would sustain its enforcement operations and strengthen efforts to detect and intercept illicit drugs entering the country.

Meanwhile, the NDLEA’s Assistant Commander General of Narcotics, Nathaniel Negedu, commended the Customs Service for the seizure, describing cooperation between the two agencies as essential to tackling drug trafficking.

He emphasised the importance of sustained inter-agency collaboration in identifying, intercepting and investigating attempts to move illicit substances across Nigeria’s borders.

The handover highlights the continuing partnership between the Nigeria Customs Service and the NDLEA in combating drug-related offences and limiting the circulation of prohibited substances.

Both agencies have reiterated the importance of coordinated enforcement efforts in addressing drug trafficking and protecting Nigerians from the potential dangers associated with illicit drug use.