NDLEA Intercepts Codeine Consignment From India, US, UK-Bound Opioids In Women’s Hair

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) intercepted another consignment of 175,000 bottles of codeine-based syrup imported from India at the Port Harcourt Ports complex in Onne, Rivers State.

This comes just a week after a shipment of the same drug in equal quantity was intercepted at the same port, according to the anti-narcotics agency’s spokesman, Femi Babafemi.

He stated that the two seizures followed earlier intelligence, prompting the agency to request that the shipment be stepped down for a full examination, noting that the most recent seizure of 875 cartons of codeine, containing 175,000 bottles and weighing 26.25 kilogrammes, occurred last Friday during a joint examination by the NDLEA, Customs Service, and other security agencies.

He stated that the container marked HASU 4787890 from India was on its way to the C-to-C bonded terminal in Enugu.

Babafemi also stated that on Wednesday, NDLEA officers from the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI) intercepted five different parcels containing illicit drugs concealed in ladies’ clothing and synthetic hair bound for the United States and the United Kingdom.

He stated that some of the seized drugs included 620 ampoules of pentazocine injection, promethazine, and other opioids. The drug shipments were seized at a courier company in Lagos.

On Saturday, NDLEA operatives on patrol along the Kalgo-Birnin Kebbi road arrested Hassan Mummuni, a 32-year-old Nigerien, with 4,000 pills of diazepam and 1.250 kilogrammes of cannabis concealed in four pesticide tanks, while operatives in Gombe state arrested Ibrahim Abubakar (aka Alhajiji) at Herwagana with 6,740 tramadol pills and 20,000 diazepam tablets.

He stated that 1,098 bottles of codeine-based syrup were recovered from a suspect, Onyekachi Iwula, 42, after his arrest in a commercial bus at Aloma junction, Otukpa, Ogbadibo LGA, Benue state.

In Bauchi state, NDLEA officers were on patrol along the Ningi-Kano road last Wednesday.
Hasana Usman, 20, was arrested with 25 blocks of cannabis sativa weighing 28.2 kilogrammes, while their counterparts in Yobe state apprehended Ali Mohammed, 42, along the Kano-Potiskum road with 19,000 tramadol 225mg pills concealed in a black sack and the suspect’s travel bag.

In Oyo state, 57-year-old Oladimeji Samson was arrested in a commercial bus at the Ibadan end of the Lagos-Ibadan motorway with 79 blocks of cannabis sativa weighing 44.4 kilogrammes and 48 grammes of ecstasy hidden in the engine compartment under the bus’s driver’s seat.

Babafemi stated that 17,980 tramadol and other opioid pills were seized from a suspect, Ali Mohammed, 36, after his arrest in Ganaja village, Lokoja local government area, Kogi state, while Blessing Samuel, 35, and Unnanchi Mike, 34, were arrested with 804 bottles of codeine syrup in Narayi, Kaduna state.

Tijjani Umar, 37, and Yahaya Suleman, 35, were also arrested with 33.9 kilogrammes of cannabis sativa in Kaduna’s Lafiya area, Kudan local government area.

On Saturday, NDLEA operatives arrested at least nine suspects, including Salisu Sanda, 48, and James Andrew, 25, during a raid in the Toaabora hills area of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, and recovered 83.01 kilogrammes of cannabis.

Babafemi stated that the agency’s commands and formations across the country have continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization activities in schools, worship centres, workplaces, and communities, among other places, with the same zeal in the last week.

Meanwhile, while congratulating the officers and men of PHPC, Gombe, Benue, Kogi, Kaduna, Oyo, Yobe, Bauchi, Kebbi, and FCT Commands, as well as those of DOGI, for the arrests and seizures, NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Retd) noted their drug supply reduction efforts balanced with WADA sensitization activities and charged them and their compatriots across the country to maintain the zeal and tempo.