NDLEA Uncovers Syndicate Selling Cannabis As Medicine

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has raised alarm over the circulation of deadly illicit substances deceptively branded and sold as medicinal cannabis in Nigeria.

Acting on credible intelligence, NDLEA operatives arrested 28-year-old drug kingpin Afeez Salisu (a.k.a. Malu) on Saturday, November 1, 2025, at his residence in Mushin, Lagos State, where he was allegedly packaging and distributing fake medicinal cannabis concealed in designer pouches and cups.

The products, seen by THE WHISTLER, were branded as Medical Cannabis: Sativa, Indica, and Hybrid and lacked essential NAFDAC or SON approval numbers. Instead, they carried a Snapchat logo, a five-star Google review insignia, and a WhatsApp scan code, giving the impression of authenticity.

The packaging also bore a misleading warning label stating, “This medication was sold in compliance with applicable state and/or local laws and/or regulations and may only be possessed by qualified patients or registered caregivers.

“Warnings: This product contains medical cannabis; please use extreme caution.

“Use only as directed by a physician; keep it out of reach of children and animals. Causing effects may be delayed by up to two hours.

“This medication may impair the ability to drive or operate machinery.”

According to the NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Mr Femi Babafemi, a total of “16.4 kilograms of the dangerous and synthetic strains of cannabis, including Colorado, Arizona, Canadian Loud and Ghana Loud, packaged in designer pouches and cups labelled as medicinal cannabis”, were recovered from the suspect’s store.

The agency explained that the seized substances are not medically approved products but adulterated and highly potent psychoactive strains, posing serious health threats.

The NDLEA emphasised that the items are illicit and unsafe for therapeutic use, contrary to what the packaging suggests.

Investigations revealed that the products contained highly concentrated variants of cannabis such as Loud, Arizona, and Colorado—all known for their severe psychological and physiological effects.

Loud, the agency noted, is particularly dangerous due to its extreme potency and strong psychoactive impact, while Arizona and Colorado have been linked to serious mental disorders and physical decline.

The agency further clarified: “Rather than the purported medicinal cannabis in the designer pouches and cups, the strains are highly addictive and pose a significant, immediate threat to public health and safety because they are associated with severe mental health issues, including psychosis, acute anxiety, paranoia, and other long-term cognitive impairments, especially among young people.”

NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd.), condemned the syndicate’s exploitation of global conversations around medical cannabis to promote illegal and harmful substances.

“The criminal elements behind this deceit are only exploiting the global conversation around medicinal cannabis to push their illicit and life-destroying products into our communities.

Cannabis remains a prohibited substance in Nigeria, and as such, any product being sold locally under the guise of ‘medicinal cannabis’ is not only fake but also dangerous and illegal.”

Marwa urged Nigerians to be cautious and report suspicious products or dealers to the agency.

“Please do not consume it. Report any person or group involved in the illicit trade of these dangerous substances to the nearest NDLEA office.”

NDLEA reiterated its commitment to safeguarding public health and curbing the manipulation of drug policies by criminal networks posing as advocates of medicinal cannabis use.

The agency maintained that no such product is approved or authorised for sale or distribution in Nigeria.