The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has partnered with the Australian Federal Police (AFP) to disrupt cocaine and methamphetamine trafficking networks working alongside the Nigeria–Australia drug route.
The improvement was disclosed in an announcement issued by the NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, on Monday, November 2, 2026.
The partnership, formalised via a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), will strengthen intelligence sharing, coordinated operations and investigations focusing on prison teams transferring illicit medicine between the 2 nations.
Nigeria, Australia target cocaine and meth networks
Speaking on the signing ceremony on the NDLEA nationwide headquarters in Abuja, the company’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), stated the settlement would supply a proper framework for cooperation towards trafficking networks working alongside the Nigeria–Australia route.
- “The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the Australian Federal Police (AFP) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that formalises existing cooperation between the two agencies into a structured strategic alliance against transnational drug trafficking networks operating along the Nigeria–Australia drug route,” the assertion learn partly.
The settlement covers 4 areas: intelligence and knowledge sharing, joint and coordinated operations, capability constructing {and professional} improvement, and managed supply of suspected drug shipments.
Marwa stated Nigerian organised crime teams had turn out to be more and more related to the Australia-Pacific drug route, notably within the trafficking of cocaine and methamphetamine. He added that Nigeria was being exploited as a transit and sourcing hub by worldwide drug networks.
The NDLEA chairman stated the settlement would take impact instantly and expressed confidence that it could result in joint drug seizures, arrests of high-value targets and profitable managed deliveries.
NDLEA cites cocaine seizures, meth labs
Marwa cited current operations as proof of the size of worldwide drug trafficking involving Nigeria. These included the seizure of 184.5 kilogrammes of cocaine supposed for export and the dismantling of 4 methamphetamine laboratories in current months, with Mexican nationals reportedly concerned within the operations.
According to the chairman, one of many laboratory operations resulted in seizures valued at greater than $360 million.
He additionally cited the dismantling of a Switzerland-based drug cartel linked to a Nigerian nationwide, Simon Amadi, following greater than a yr of collaboration between the NDLEA, the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and legislation enforcement businesses in France, Greece and Switzerland. The cartel’s belongings in Nigeria have additionally been focused.
The head of the Australian Federal Police delegation, Ms Sandra Booth, stated cooperation with Nigeria was essential as a result of Australia was a vacation spot marketplace for illicit medicine, the place traffickers might command vital costs.
She warned that trafficking networks additionally used proceeds from drug gross sales to finance different prison actions, together with violent assaults involving recruited younger and susceptible individuals.
Booth stated the Australian authorities needed to work with Nigeria to stop medicine from reaching its market and shield younger individuals and different susceptible teams.
The signing ceremony was witnessed by Australian High Commissioner to Nigeria Leilani Bin-Juda, Deputy High Commissioner Timothy Milikan and members of the AFP delegation, alongside senior NDLEA officers.
Previous drug busts expose Nigeria route
The settlement follows earlier NDLEA investigations into worldwide drug networks utilizing Nigeria to maneuver illicit substances to abroad markets, together with Australia.
In September 2025, Nairametrics reported that the company had dismantled a global drug trafficking cartel working between Nigeria, the UK, Brazil, Australia and the United Arab Emirates.
The new MoU offers a direct cooperation framework between Nigerian and Australian legislation enforcement businesses to pursue trafficking networks linked to the route.
