The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has warned parents and guardians to pay closer attention to the snacks consumed by children and young people after operatives uncovered large quantities of cannabis-infused cookies and gummies being brought into Nigeria.
The agency issued the warning following a major seizure of cannabis-laced confectioneries at the Tin Can Island Port Complex in Lagos.
According to the NDLEA, its operatives, working with the Nigeria Customs Service and other security agencies, discovered 73 cartons containing 442 packets of cookies and gummies infused with cannabis, weighing a total of 309.4 kilogrammes, during the examination of a 40-foot container on August 4, 2026. One suspect, identified as Larry Nnaji, was arrested in connection with the consignment.
The seized products were packaged as ordinary confectionery items, raising concerns among authorities about the potential for children and unsuspecting consumers to ingest psychoactive substances without knowing their contents.
In a separate warning issued on Sunday, NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, urged parents to be particularly vigilant if their children frequently request cookies and gummies.
Babafemi shared images of seized products branded as “Cookies Delta 8 Gummies,” including flavours such as Hawaiian Rain Pineapple Guava and Thai Mango. The products were labelled as vegan and hemp-derived.
The NDLEA said the products formed part of a wider consignment intercepted by the Nigeria Customs Service at the Tin Can Island Port. Two 40-foot containers reportedly contained large quantities of cannabis-infused products concealed among legitimate imports, including used vehicles, generators, batteries and fabrics.
The combined estimated street value of the seized products was put at about N373.8 million, according to the report.
The agency described the development as an emerging public health concern, particularly because of the appearance and packaging of some of the products, which could make them attractive to children, students and young people.
The latest seizure is not an isolated incident. NDLEA operatives have continued to intercept cannabis and other illicit drugs concealed in a variety of goods and transported through different channels across the country.
On August 4, for instance, NDLEA officers intercepted a consignment of 1.2 kilogrammes of cocaine concealed inside 25 phone chargers at a courier company in Lagos. Another 500 grammes of cocaine hidden in a false-bottom backpack was also intercepted in a separate operation.
The agency also reported intercepting 2.3 kilogrammes of “Loud”, a potent strain of cannabis, in a shipment arriving from the United States.
Beyond seizures at ports and courier facilities, NDLEA operations across the country have led to the recovery of hundreds of kilogrammes of cannabis. The agency said it recovered 1,633 kilogrammes of skunk concealed in bags of rice chaff from a truck travelling north along the Akure-Ilesha Expressway on August 4. Two suspects were arrested.
The agency’s warning comes as illicit drug trafficking and abuse remain significant concerns for Nigerian authorities. The NDLEA is responsible for enforcing laws against the production, trafficking and abuse of illicit drugs in the country. Its mandate includes measures to prevent drug abuse and investigate and prosecute drug-related offences.
The latest development has renewed calls for parents and guardians to examine food products brought into their homes, particularly snacks with unfamiliar labelling or packaging.
Parents are also encouraged to educate children about the dangers of accepting food items from unknown sources and to seek clarification about products that appear unusual or are not purchased through trusted channels.
The NDLEA’s warning underscores concerns that the concealment of cannabis and other controlled substances in familiar food products could make it more difficult for consumers, particularly children, to distinguish illicit products from ordinary snacks.
