The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has announced a nationwide crackdown between August 15 and August 22, 2026, leading to the seizure of over 1.4 tonnes of synthetic cannabis from Thailand, destruction of 10 tonnes of skunk in Ondo, and multiple arrests including a 101-year-old woman and a 65-year-old woman.

The agency disclosed this in a statement on Saturday, August 23, 2026.

NDLEA said it intercepted two containers of “Thai Loud” at Apapa and Lekki Deep Sea Ports, marking the first time the agency is seizing cannabis indica shipped from Thailand.

At Apapa Port, a joint examination by NDLEA, Customs and others on Friday, August 21 found 1,090.5kg of Thai Loud in a container declared to contain dry fish, rice, spare parts and batteries. The drugs were packed in 54 cartons with 2,181 sachets of 500g each.

At Lekki Port, a container on the agency’s watchlist was examined on Wednesday, August 19. Four of seven pallets contained 96 cartons of Thai Loud weighing 400kg. The other three pallets held 798 rims of A4 paper used as cover.

Both containers were loaded at the Port of Laem Chabang, Thailand, pointing to a new trafficking route. NDLEA put the street value of the consignment at over N4.4 billion.

On Friday, August 21, NDLEA officers on the high seas in Akwa Ibom intercepted a wooden boat heading to fishing settlements in Cameroon. 

Three suspects were arrested with 42.622kg of drugs. Kingsley Effiong John, 27, was found with 20g of cocaine concealed inside a large wrap of edible cassava fufu, plus 435g of skunk. The other two had 43.18kg of skunk.

In Ilisan, Ikenne LGA, Ogun State, operatives arrested Esther Ogunmabo, 101, on August 15 with 90g of skunk in sachets. The NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd), ordered her release on bail and counselling due to age. Her daughter, who allegedly supplies her from Lagos, was arrested.

In Ibadan, Oyo State, Adebayo Kaosarat, 65, was arrested at Akobo-Ojuirin on August 21 with 4.68kg of drugs: 1.795kg Scottish Loud, 1.66kg tramadol, 600g codeine, 125g diazepam and 50g flunitrazepam.

– Kwara: On August 21, Muhammadu Usman, 22, was arrested on Ogbomosho-Ilorin expressway with 1.325kg of methamphetamine and cannabis from a Toyota Starlet without plates.

– Kano: Chibuzor Madueke, 31, was arrested at Hadejia Road on August 17 with 98 blocks of skunk weighing 73.3kg.

– Lagos: At Seme, Badagry, three family members — Nasiru Tijjani, 52; Moshood Tijjani, 27; and Salami Tijjani, 27 — were arrested with 48kg of skunk.

– Abia: On August 20, Ikechukwu Anthony Iwuno, 36, was raided in Umuahia South with 14.4kg Loud, 2.3kg Colorado, 386g tramadol and 134g rohypnol.

– Ondo: 10,000kg of skunk was destroyed on a 4-hectare farm in Ijare forest, Ifedore LGA on August 19. Three planters were earlier arrested. In Akure North, 210kg of skunk and a Toyota Camry were recovered. Owner Sylvester Dibiagu Anthony is at large.

– FCT/Niger: On August 22, 24,410 tramadol pills were intercepted in a Hummer bus from Enugu to Zuba. The owner, Sunday Eze, 28, was arrested in Kontagora.

NDLEA said its Commands also carried out War Against Drug Abuse sensitization in schools, worship centres and communities in Kano, Oyo, Kebbi and other states.

Source: NDLEA.