NDLEA intercepts N14.9bn drugs at Lagos port

The operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted 25,000,000 pills of tapentadol, an opioid three times stronger than tramadol, and 350,000 bottles of codeine-based syrup at the Tincan port complex in Lagos State.

The NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, September 22, 2024.

Babafemi revealed that the seizures were made on Tuesday, September 17, and Friday. September 20, from three containers which, he said, had been on the watchlist of the NDLEA following processed intelligence.

He said the NDLEA, as a result, requested 100 per cent joint examination of the shipments with the officers of the Nigeria Customs Service and other security agencies.

He noted that the 25 million pills of tapentadol have an estimated street value of N13,725,000,000 while the codeine consignment has an estimated street value of N2,450,000,000, bringing the total value of the seizures to N14,950,000,000.

The NDLEA spokesperson said the tapentadol consignment packed in 500 cartons was discovered in one of the containers on Tuesday, September 17, while another container examined same day contained 175,000 bottles of Barcadin cough syrup with codeine packed in 875 cartons.

80-year-old man, community leader’s wives, son arrested for drug dealing

Babafemi disclosed that the third container containing 175,000 bottles of CSC cough syrup with codeine was examined on Friday, September 20.

He added that the NDLEA continued its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation activities at schools, worship centres, workplaces, and communities, among others, in the past week.

The NDLEA spokesman listed the activities to include WADA enlightenment lecture to students and staff of Rayhaan Model Academy in Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State; Government Day Secondary School, Danrimi in Malumfashi Local Government Area of Katsina State; and Technical College, Ihe-Achi, Oji River LGA, Enugu State.

Others are Corpus Christi College in Ilawe Ekiti, Ekiti State; fresh students of Oyo State College of Health Science and Technology, Eleyele in Ibadan, Oyo State; traders at Agboju market, Festac town, Lagos State; and the palace of Oloola of Ilara, Oba Mutiu Adedimeji Lawal Oyede and his chiefs, at Ilara in Ogun State; among others.

The Star