PICTORIAL: NDLEA Intercepts N16.6bn Opioids At Seaports

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has intercepted a total of 26,250,000 pills of tramadol as well as 508,400 bottles of codeine-based syrup worth N16, 683, 800,000 in street value.

The illicit substances were intercepted during 100 per cent joint examination of watch-listed containers with men of the Nigeria Customs Service (NIS) and other security agencies at the Tincan Port in Lagos and Port Harcourt Port, Onne, Rivers state between Tuesday 22nd and Wednesday 23rd, October, 2024.

Other illicit consignments intercepted during the joint inspection of the containers include 10 million tablets of Toradol Benzhexol and 28 plastic drums of methamphetamine weighing 700kg at Tincan and Onne respectively, while 56 parcels of Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis weighing 28kg were also recovered from a container that arrived the Lagos port from Canada.

NDLEA’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi in a statement on Sunday said a suspect, 40-year-old Tsolaye Eburajolo was arrested at Ago Palace area of Okota, Lagos in connection with the cannabis seizure while a bribe of N10million paid NDLEA officers to free the suspect has been kept as part of the exhibits for the prosecution of the case.

Also, a consignments of opioids concealed in soles of shoes and hair attachments heading to the United States, United Kingdom and Cyprus have been intercepted by operatives of the NDLEA at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja Lagos and three courier companies in the state.

The NDLEA said, “A total of 2,118 pills of tramadol concealed in soles of 13 pairs of shoes going to Cyprus were seized at the export shed of the Lagos airport on October 12, 2024 and additional 380 tablets recovered from the home of the sender, Okenwa Kelvin Uchenna during a follow up operation in Enugu on Thursday October 24, a cash of N968,880 and a Toyota Avalon car marked UWN 389 AS, were also recovered from the suspect at the time of his arrest.

“Not less than 293 ampoules of promethazine and pentazocine injection as well as 1.690kg cannabis and tramadol tablets concealed in hair attachments and soles of shoes going to the United States, United Kingdom and Oman were intercepted at three courier firms by NDLEA officers of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation, DOGI, in Lagos on Thursday, October 24.”

In another development, NDLEA operatives in Lagos on Friday October 25, raided the Igbo-Igunuko shrine, located at the Alfa Beach, Ajah, where jumbo bags of Ghanaian Loud, a strain of cannabis, weighing 2,760kg were recovered and two suspects, Gbenga Abiodun and Sunday Abiodun arrested.

Another suspect, Ademola Oyelakin was also arrested same day with 770kg of the same psychoactive substance along Lagos-Ibadan expressway.

“A total of 11,786 pills of tramadol, molly, rohypnol and diazepam as well as 64 bottles of codeine syrup were recovered from the underground storage a suspect, Muhammad Warnos Abdullahi dug in his bedroom at Marwa Coastal Road, Lekki Phase 1 Lagos when NDLEA officers raided his home on Friday October 25.

“The suspect dug the illicit drug storage deep in his room, covered it with padlocked iron slate, a rug and then put his mattress on top to avoid detection,” the statement added.

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