By Joke Kujenya
THE NATIONAL Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has seized a massive haul of 31,124,600 tramadol pills (225mg) and bottles of codeine-based syrup worth over N17.9 billion.
These seizures were made at the Port Harcourt Port Complex in Onne, Rivers State, and the Tincan seaport in Lagos.
Acting on intelligence, the NDLEA, in collaboration with the Nigerian Customs Service and other security agencies, conducted thorough inspections of the flagged containers from India.
This led to the discovery of 350,000 bottles of codeine-based syrup in two containers at Tincan Port on August 29th and 30th, each containing 175,000 bottles of the controlled substance.
At the Port Harcourt Port Complex, NDLEA officers intercepted 447 cartons of tramadol (225mg), totaling 29,840,000 pills, along with 380,000 bottles of codeine syrup from three containers on August 29th.
The tramadol shipments were found under various brand names, including Royal Tapentadol, Carisoprodol 225mg, and Royal Tramadol Hydrochloride 225mg.
On August 30th, three additional containers flagged by the NDLEA were examined, resulting in the seizure of 3,030 cartons of codeine syrup containing 554,600 bottles.
These operations brought the total haul from Onne and Tincan to 1,284,600 bottles of codeine valued at N8.99 billion and 29,840,000 pills of tramadol worth N8.94 billion.
In a related development, NDLEA operatives at Port Harcourt International Airport arrested a suspect, Eze Emekan Don, on August 27th as he attempted to board a flight to Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, with 1,490 tramadol pills disguised as cosmetics in his luggage.
His attempt to bribe officers was rebuffed.
Meanwhile, Ms. Aderinoye Queen Christmas, a former beauty queen wanted by the NDLEA since January, has surrendered to the Lagos Command after eight months in hiding.
She was declared wanted after escaping a raid on her Lekki residence, where NDLEA agents found 606 grams of Canadian Loud (a potent strain of cannabis), packaging materials, and other incriminating items.
Additionally, on August 26th, NDLEA operatives arrested Mustapha Ibrahim in Ajah, Lagos, with 1,122 kilograms of cannabis.
The same day, they seized 816 kilograms of cannabis at the same location, linked to another suspect who is currently at large.
In Niger State, another suspect, Friday Gabriel, was arrested on August 26th while transporting 1,900 tramadol capsules, 300 bottles of codeine syrup, and 600 packets of Exol-5 tablets along the Minna-Suleja Road.
On August 31st, NDLEA officers in Bauchi State apprehended two suspects, Garba Muhammed, 35, and Usman Yakubu Shehu, 31, with 308 blocks of cannabis weighing 246.4 kilograms, concealed in a false compartment of a J5 bus.
The NDLEA continues its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign, conducting sensitization activities across schools, communities, and workplaces.
These efforts included lectures and advocacy visits in Abia, Delta, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Oyo, and Kaduna states.
NDLEA Chairman Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) encouraged the officers involved in these operations for their vigilance and professionalism.
He also acknowledged the support from other stakeholders at the ports that facilitated the successful interceptions.
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