NDLEA Bursts Drug Ring Packaging Psychoactive Substances As Medical Cannabis

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has issued a public warning over the circulation of fake medicinal cannabis products being sold across parts of the country.

According to a statement from the agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, the discovery followed credible intelligence that led to the arrest of a 28-year-old suspected drug trafficker, identified as Afeez Salisu, popularly known as Malu. He was apprehended on Saturday, November 1, 2025, at 2 Akala Street, off Umoru Street, Idi Oro, Mushin, Lagos.

Reports indicate that the suspect had been packaging and distributing the fake products in flashy, designer-labelled pouches and cups, misleadingly branded as “medicinal cannabis.” Upon his arrest, operatives recovered 16.4 kilograms of synthetic and highly potent cannabis strains, including Colorado, Arizona, Canadian Loud, and Ghana Loud, all falsely presented as medical-grade cannabis.

According to Ireporter Online, the NDLEA cautioned that these products are not legitimate medicinal preparations but dangerous psychoactive substances containing extreme levels of illicit compounds. The agency further revealed that laboratory analyses confirmed the seized items to be powerful strains capable of causing severe mental health disorders, including psychosis, paranoia, acute anxiety, and long-term cognitive damage, particularly among young users.

NDLEA Chairman, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), appealed to Nigerians to be vigilant and not be deceived by flashy packaging or misleading claims about “therapeutic” cannabis. He stressed that cannabis remains a prohibited drug in Nigeria and that any product marketed locally as medicinal cannabis is fake, illegal, and hazardous to health.

Marwa urged members of the public to report anyone engaged in the sale or distribution of such illicit substances to the nearest NDLEA office, emphasizing that the agency remains committed to dismantling networks attempting to exploit public ignorance and the global discourse on medical cannabis for criminal gain.