The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted no fewer than 3.5 million pills of opioids and 163,000 bottles of codeine syrup with combined street value of over N3.4 billion in Rivers and Lagos states respectively.
This is contained in a statement by the Director, Media and Advocacy of NDLEA, Mr Femi Babafemi, in Abuja on Sunday.
Babafemi said that the bulk of the seizures: 2 million pills of tramadol 225mg and 163,000 bottles of codeine syrup, was made on Tuesday, April 29.
This, he said, was during a joint examination of a watch-listed container by NDLEA officers, men of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and other security agencies at the Port Harcourt Ports Complex, Onne, Rivers State.
“In Lagos, a total of 1.5 million pills of a controlled opioid were recovered from a suspect, Olarenwaju Wahab, at the Alaba-Rago area of Ojo on Tuesday, April 29.
“The source of the consignment was traced to Q104B Road 25, Victoria Garden City, Lekki, which is the residence of one Obinna Kenneth who is now at large,”he said.
Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives at the import shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, (MMIA), Ikeja Lagos intercepted 42 parcels of Canadian Loud, a strong strain of cannabis weighing 20kg.
Babafemi said that the drugs were concealed in tins of chocolate, milo beverage, white kidney beans and dark red kidney beans packaged.
This, he said, was as part of cargos that came into the Lagos airport onboard a British Airways flight from Canada.
“At least, three suspects including the receiver of the consignment, Monsurat Lawson, have been arrested between Wednesday, April 30 and Saturday, May 3.
“In like manner, a businessman, Bobby Osas was on Friday, May 2 arrested at the Lagos airport while attempting to board a Turkish Airlines flight to Italy”.
Babafemi said that a thorough search of his luggage led to the seizure of 8,130 pills of tramadol 225mg, 200mg and 100mg.
Also, NDLEA operatives frustrated an attempt by another syndicate to ship 104grams of tramadol and skunk concealed in bottles of body cream to Iraq through a courier company in Lagos.
Babafemi said that the drugs were recovered on Monday, April 28 by NDLEA officers of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI).
