- Safiu Kehinde
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has uncovered a clandestine laboratory where Colorado, a synthetic strain of cannabis, was being produced in a residential building located at Ajao estate, Isolo Lagos.
Following a raid on the facility by the NDLEA operatives, large quantities of freshly cooked Colos and various precursor chemicals for drug production recovered with the 30-year-old lab owner arrested.
As contained in a statement issued on Sunday by the agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, the discovery followed months of intelligence gathering on possible Colos laboratories in Lagos.
The raid, according to Babafemi, came weeks after NDLEA officers intercepted consignments of freshly produced Colos in March and May 2025 in the state.
He said that it was a development that suggested that the dangerous psychoactive substance, which was hitherto imported into the country, was now locally produced.
“The effort paid off on Thursday, October 30, when NDLEA officers raided the residential apartment in Ajao estate, Isolo Lagos.
“The suspect had converted to a laboratory for cooking Colos, a strain of cannabis produced with the psychoactive plant and various chemicals.
“Recovered from the apartment include freshly cooked Colos weighing 16.2 kilograms; ADB-CHMNACA Cannabinoid -1.7kg; Potassium Carbonate -4.5kg and Dibromobutane – 91 litres,” he said.
In another operation in Lagos, NDLEA operatives on Saturday, Nov. 1 raided the enclave of a 28-year-old drug dealer in Mushin.
Babafemi said that 16 compressed blocks of Ghana Loud, a strain of cannabis as well as designer sachets and bottles of Colorado weighing 16.4kg were recovered from him.
Meanwhile, a music artist whose stage name is Steady Boy was on Thursday, Oct. 30 arrested by NDLEA operatives.
Babafemi said that the suspect had attempted to take delivery of a large consignment of Loud, a strain of cannabis concealed inside three cartons of bathtub.
These, he said, were imported along with other items such as cloths and gadgets from New York, United States.
“This followed the seizure of the shipment which arrived at the import shed of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) Ikeja Lagos from the US aboard a DHL flight on Tuesday, Oct. 28.
“The 20-year-old music artist was nabbed at Bougain Villa, Primewater Gardens 2, Freedom way, Lekki Lagos when he showed up as the consignee to take delivery of the 140 bags of Loud.
“The drugs were with a gross weight of 77.20kg on behalf of a syndicate, which includes his manager, Zion Osazee Omigie (a.k.a Zee Money) who is currently at large,” he said.