Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
Police in south-western Nigeria have arrested two suspected drug peddlers after eight parcels of a substance believed to be cannabis, locally referred to as “Canadian Loud”, were allegedly found concealed inside a car tyre at a vulcanising workshop in Oyo State.
The arrests followed intelligence received by the Oyo State Police Command on 2 September 2026 concerning the alleged activities of a suspected drug dealer operating through a vulcaniser's shop, police spokesman Deputy Superintendent Olayinka Ayanlade said. Acting on the information, officers from the command's Anti-Narcotics Section moved to the location and arrested two suspects.
Police said the operation was carried out on the orders of the Commissioner of Police in Oyo State, Abimbola Ayodeji Olugbenga, through the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the State Criminal Investigation Department.
According to the police, officers proceeded to the workshop and discovered eight parcels of weeds suspected to be “Canadian Loud” hidden inside a vehicle tyre. The substances were recovered with the assistance of the vulcaniser at the premises.
A vulcanising machine, which police believe was used to conceal the suspected drugs inside tyres, was also seized during the operation and retained as evidence.
The names of the two suspects were not released in the initial statement. Police said they were undergoing interrogation as investigators attempted to establish the full circumstances surrounding the alleged drug operation and determine whether other people were involved.
According to DSP Ayanlade, preliminary interrogation indicated that the suspects allegedly admitted involvement in the activities under investigation. However, such statements remain allegations, and the suspects have not been convicted of any offence.
The police said investigations were continuing and that the two men would be charged in court after the process had been concluded. Officers are also attempting to identify and arrest other people who may be connected to the alleged network.
The recovery has drawn attention because of the unusual method allegedly used to conceal the suspected drugs. Car tyres and other everyday objects can provide opportunities for criminal networks attempting to move prohibited substances without attracting immediate attention.
Police have not disclosed how long the alleged operation had been running or whether the recovered substances were intended for distribution within Oyo State or transportation to another location.
The term “Canadian Loud” is commonly used in Nigeria to describe a potent variety of cannabis. However, the substances recovered in the latest operation will require appropriate examination and evidence before their precise nature can be legally established.
Nigeria's security agencies have intensified efforts in recent years to combat drug trafficking and the use of illicit substances, which authorities say can contribute to wider criminal activity.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, alongside the police and other security agencies, has conducted operations across the country targeting drug trafficking networks and the movement of prohibited substances.
Drug abuse remains a significant social and security concern in Nigeria, particularly because of its potential impact on public health and its alleged links to violent crime and other forms of organised criminality.
The Oyo State Police Command said the latest operation formed part of its intelligence-led strategy to disrupt criminal networks before they could cause further harm.
Police warned that illicit drugs could impair judgement and contribute to criminal behaviour, including cult-related violence, robbery, kidnapping and other forms of organised crime.
However, security experts have also stressed that effective responses to drug-related crime require more than arrests. Public education, prevention programmes, rehabilitation and sustained investigations into trafficking networks are regarded as important elements of a broader response.
The Oyo police operation is part of a series of recent intelligence-led actions announced by the command.
Earlier this week, the command said it had arrested six people in connection with the alleged possession and production of counterfeit euro currency in Ibadan. Police recovered suspected counterfeit €100 notes with a face value of €8,900 during that investigation.
The Commissioner of Police has repeatedly said the command intends to strengthen intelligence gathering and public cooperation as part of efforts to tackle criminal activity across the state.
The latest arrests also demonstrate the importance police place on information supplied by members of the public. The intelligence that led to the vulcanising workshop operation was reportedly received before officers were deployed to the location.
Police have urged residents to continue providing timely and credible information about suspected criminal activities in their communities.
The success of intelligence-led policing often depends on cooperation between security agencies and members of the public, particularly when criminal networks operate from ordinary businesses or residential areas without immediately attracting attention.
The investigation into the suspected drug operation is now expected to determine the specific roles allegedly played by those arrested and whether the workshop was part of a larger distribution network.
Police may also seek to establish the origin of the suspected substances, their intended destination and whether other individuals were involved in obtaining, concealing or distributing them.
For the two suspects, the next stage will depend on the outcome of the investigation. The Oyo State Police Command has said they will be charged before a court when detectives complete their inquiries.
Under Nigeria's legal system, allegations made by investigators must ultimately be tested through the judicial process, and the suspects remain entitled to the presumption of innocence unless proven guilty by a court.
For now, the confirmed outcome of the operation is the arrest of two suspects and the recovery of eight parcels of substances believed by police to be “Canadian Loud”, allegedly hidden inside a vehicle tyre.
The case remains under investigation, with officers continuing their efforts to trace other suspected members of the alleged drug network.
The Oyo State Police Command has said it will continue intelligence-led operations against criminal groups and has appealed to residents to support security agencies with reliable information that could help prevent crime and improve safety across the state.
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