The Federal High Court in Port Harcourt has granted an interim forfeiture order to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) over 17 shipping containers loaded with illicit opioids valued at more than N33.6 billion.

The order followed an ex parte application filed by the agency in suit number FHC/PH/MISC/25/2026.

This was disclosed in a statement issued on Tuesday by the NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi.

Babafemi said the containers were intercepted at the Port Harcourt Ports Complex in Onne, Rivers State, between April and September 2025. He noted that the consignments contained millions of pills of Tramadol, Tafrodol, Tapentadol, and Carisoprodol, as well as over 2.4 million bottles of Codeine syrup.

Ruling on the application, Justice Adamu Mohammed ordered the interim forfeiture of the consignments to the Federal Government.

The judge held that the containers, weighing a total of 365,675 kilograms of psychotropic substances, were illegally imported into Nigeria by unknown persons.

He further directed that custody and possession of the containers and their contents be vested in the NDLEA pending the final determination of the case.

Reacting to the ruling, the NDLEA Chairman, Mohamed Buba Marwa, described the development as a major blow to drug trafficking networks.

“This is not just a seizure; it is a total dispossession of the resources the drug cartels intended to use in destroying the lives of our youths and funding further criminality,” Marwa said.

He added that stripping criminal syndicates of assets worth over N33.6 billion sends a strong signal that authorities will not allow proceeds from illicit drug trade to fuel terrorism and other crimes.

Marwa commended the judiciary for its continued support, noting that timely legal backing remains crucial in the fight against drug trafficking.

He also praised officers of the Onne Port Command and other security agencies, including the Nigeria Customs Service, for their cooperation, while acknowledging international partners for providing intelligence support.

The NDLEA boss reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to dismantling drug trafficking networks across the country.