The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has successfully intercepted a staggering N1.1 billion worth of codeine consignment in Port Harcourt.
According to NDLEA spokesman Femi Babafemi, the operation took place on Thursday, September 4, when 160,200 bottles of codeine-based syrup were discovered in a 40-foot container. This was revealed during a coordinated inspection by NDLEA officers, Nigeria Customs, and other security agencies at the West Africa Container Terminal (WACT) at the Port Harcourt Ports Complex in Onne, Rivers State.
The container, which was carrying 220 cartons of ceramic sanitary wares as a cover for the illicit syrup, had been previously flagged for monitoring. The NDLEA’s special operations unit tracked the shipment, estimating its street value to exceed N1.1 billion.
In a related incident, a Nigerian national based in Milan, Italy, was apprehended on Friday, September 5, at the departure area of Terminal 1 in Lagos airport. The suspect, who intended to board an Air France flight to Italy, was found concealing 24,480 pills of tramadol in various dosages, allegedly for sale at a price of 19,520 euros.
Additionally, in Taraba, a significant operation led to the destruction of 18,750 kg of skunk across 7.5 hectares of cannabis plantations in Joro-Ade village, Ardo Kola, LGA. Two suspects were arrested during this operation on Tuesday, September 2.
Throughout the past week, NDLEA commands nationwide continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) initiative, conducting sensitization lectures and advocacy visits to various community leaders, workplaces, and religious institutions. These efforts included engagements with officers of the Nigerian Correctional Service in Lafia, Nasarawa State, ward heads in Kano Municipal Council, and members of the traditional medicine practitioners association in Awgu Local Government Area, Anambra State.
The Kogi State strategic command of the NDLEA also carried out a WADA advocacy visit to HRH Alhaji Abdulraheem Ahmed Ogido, the Ohi of Ihima and chairman of the Okehi LGA council of traditional rulers, among other activities.
