Nigeria Customs seizes N18.96 billion cannabis shipment concealed in vehicles at Tin-Can Island Port

Nigeria Customs intercepts N18.96 billion in cannabis smuggled from Canada at Tin-Can Island. Learn about the vehicle concealment tactics used by smugglers.

By: AXL Media

Published: May 1, 2026, 4:35 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Daily Post Nigeria

Strategic Intelligence Leads to Massive Narcotics Discovery

The Nigeria Customs Service has achieved a major operational milestone with the interception of a high value shipment of illegal narcotics at the Tin-Can Island Port in Lagos. During a formal briefing on Thursday, Customs Area Controller Frank Onyeka detailed how a coordinated intelligence effort led to the uncovering of 185 jumbo bags of cannabis. According to Onyeka, the contraband was discovered within a container shipped from Canada, which had been falsely declared as a consignment of used vehicles. This successful detection highlights the increasing sophistication of the command’s surveillance and inspection protocols in the face of complex smuggling tactics.

Concealment Tactics and Logistical Details

The illicit substances were meticulously hidden to bypass standard port security checks. Upon conducting a full physical examination of the container, numbered HAMU 429961, officers found the cannabis stashed inside a 2010 Toyota Camry and a 2023 Chevrolet. According to official reports, the search yielded 9,450 individual packages with a total weight of 4,729 kilograms. The estimated street value of the haul, calculated at N18.96 billion, represents one of the most significant drug seizures at the port in recent history, illustrating the massive scale of the illegal trade route between North America and the Nigerian coast.

Strengthened Inter Agency Collaboration

The operation served as a practical application of a newly formalized security pact between the Nigeria Customs Service and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency. Controller Onyeka noted that the seizure follows a cooperation agreement signed on April 27, 2026, which mandates enhanced intelligence sharing and joint operational guidelines between the two bodies. According to the Customs chief, the synergy between these agencies is being institutionalized through a standing inter-agency committee headquartered in Abuja, specifically designed to dismantle the networks responsible for transnational crimes and drug trafficking.