The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has apprehended an American professional basketball player at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos. The 28-year-old was found with a shipment of 33.95 kilograms of cannabis, commonly referred to as Loud, believed to have originated from Thailand.
The arrest took place on November 11, after the suspect reportedly abandoned two checked bags containing the drugs while attempting to leave the airport with only his hand luggage. NDLEA operatives, acting on reliable intelligence, had been monitoring him and intervened when they observed him leaving his bags behind.
Upon searching the abandoned luggage, which had the player’s name tags, officials discovered 32 parcels of cannabis. Additionally, a tracking device was found in the bags. The southern U.S. native indicated he had resided in Thailand since October 2025 for professional basketball and was visiting Nigeria to expand his networks.
Further investigations into the case revealed potentially incriminating evidence from his mobile phone, suggesting involvement in drug trafficking.
In a separate operation at the same airport, a 56-year-old Nigerian was arrested after 25.05 kilograms of methamphetamine was found concealed within packs of breakfast cereals he had imported from South Africa. This suspect had reportedly lived in South Africa for over two decades and was contracted to deliver the drugs for a specified payment.
The NDLEA’s recent operations across various states have yielded significant drug seizures and arrests. In Lagos, an additional 119.71 kilograms of cannabis was recovered from another suspect, while other operations in Kaduna and Ondo states uncovered illegal firearms and further narcotics.
Mohamed Buba Marwa, the NDLEA Chairman, commended the agency’s operatives for their vigilance and professionalism, highlighting that drug traffickers’ efforts to conceal their operations will not deter the agency’s commitment to combating drug-related crime.
