The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) is working closely with the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency (NCA) to probe a major cocaine seizure at the PTML Terminal of Tincan Island Port, Lagos.
PTML operators discovered over 1,000 kilograms of cocaine in an empty container last weekend and immediately alerted port authorities, including NDLEA, Customs, and other security agencies, for a coordinated inspection.
Subsequent field tests by NDLEA confirmed that the shipment contained cocaine.
According to a statement by Femi Babafemi, Director of Media and Advocacy, NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja, due to the global scale of the cartel involved, Marwa directed the inclusion of NDLEA’s key international partners in the ongoing probe.
In response, officers from the US-DEA and UK-NCA have joined the investigation. .
According to Babafemi, PTML operators discovered the consignment in an empty container last weekend and immediately invited port stakeholders, including NDLEA, Customs, and other security agencies, for a joint examination.
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NDLEA field tests confirmed that the shipment contained cocaine, and the consignment was formally transferred to the agency’s custody on Tuesday, November 11, 2025, following consultations between NDLEA Chairman/CEO, Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), and Comptroller General of Customs, Dr. Adewale Adeniyi.
Given the massive volume of the seizure, estimated to be worth over $235 million (N338 billion) on the international market, and the global scale of the trafficking network, Marwa directed that NDLEA’s top international partners be involved in the investigation.
In response, officers from the US-DEA and UK-NCA promptly joined the probe, marking the largest single cocaine seizure in the history of Tincan Island Port.
Marwa emphasised the importance of international cooperation in the case, stating: “The essence of collaborating with our international partners on this case is to ensure no stone is left unturned and every gap is sufficiently covered so that ultimately we can get all the masterminds of this huge consignment brought to book wherever they are located across the globe. This followed personal excellent engagement between myself and the Customs CG on this case.”
