Lagos Police Bust Suspected High-Tech Cannabis Cultivation Centre
By Sherif Salau
The Lagos State Police has busted a suspected high-tech cannabis cultivation centre. A major police operation in Apapa has exposed what authorities describe as a sophisticated indoor cannabis cultivation facility concealed within a residential property.
The discovery, made around 8:15 a.m., revealed a carefully engineered setup complete with specialised equipment for controlled growing conditions. Black grow bags lined the floor, some containing plant material. Ventilation systems, water filtration units and other apparatus pointed to an operation built for consistency and scale rather than chance. Two men who lived at the address were arrested at the scene: Thomas Razvickas, a 49-year-old Polish national, and James Chisome, a 36-year-old Nigerian.
Both suspects remain in police custody. According to the Lagos State Police Command, they have made confessional statements and are cooperating with investigators by providing information that could help map the wider network, if one exists. The Commissioner of Police, Tijani Fatai, later visited the property to inspect the facility personally, assess the scale of the operation and receive a detailed briefing from the officers involved.
In a statement issued the following day, the Command’s spokesperson, SP Abimbola Adebisi, described the find as the product of proactive, intelligence-led policing. The commissioner praised the operatives for their vigilance and reaffirmed the Command’s determination to confront drug-related offences, dismantle criminal networks and ensure Lagos does not become a safe haven for such activities. He also appealed to residents to continue sharing timely and credible information with the police.
The Apapa operation stands out for its technical character. Traditional outdoor cultivation carries obvious risks of detection. An indoor facility, by contrast, can operate largely out of public view, relying on artificial light, climate control and careful management of water and nutrients. The presence of processing materials alongside the growing equipment suggested the suspects were not merely raising plants but preparing a product for distribution. Police have yet to release the full volume of materials seized or the estimated value, as forensic examination and further investigation continue.
For many Lagosians, the story may feel both surprising and familiar. Drug enforcement in the city has long focused on street-level dealing, trafficking routes and open cultivation in more remote areas. The appearance of a high-tech indoor farm inside a residential neighbourhood underscores how methods evolve. It also highlights the value of community tips and sustained intelligence work. The commissioner has repeatedly stressed that citizens who know their neighbours’ activities can play a quiet but decisive role in preventing such operations from taking root.
As the investigation proceeds, the two suspects face serious charges under Nigeria’s drug laws. The Command has made clear that the probe remains active, with officers following leads generated by the confessions and physical evidence recovered at the scene. For now, the Apapa house stands empty of its former activity, its specialised equipment catalogued as exhibits. What began as an ordinary residential address has become another marker in Lagos State Police’s ongoing effort to keep sophisticated criminal enterprises from embedding themselves in the city’s fabric.
