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NDLEA, Indian Narcotics Bureau Partner To Combat Drug Trafficking

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NDLEA operatives

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) of Nigeria and the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) of India have pledged to intensify their collaborative efforts to combat the illicit shipment of drugs between the two nations, with a particular focus on curbing the flow of opioids like tramadol and codeine-based syrup from India to Nigeria.

The agreement was reached during a virtual meeting held Wednesday between NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd), and NCB Director General, Mr. Anurag Garg, alongside key officials from both agencies.

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Addressing the meeting, Gen. Marwa underscored the serious threat posed by illicit drugs to public health and security in both countries.

He stressed the importance of bolstering the existing partnership between the NDLEA and NCB, building upon the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in 2023.

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“The main reason why I requested this engagement is the illicit importation of tramadol and codeine cough syrup into Nigeria from India,” Marwa stated.

“In the last 18 months, from January 2024 to June this year, we have seized over one billion pills of opioids, mainly tramadol, and more than 14.4 million bottles of codeine syrup.

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This is why we need the support and collaboration of the Narcotics Control Bureau of India to work with us on this.”

Beyond tackling drug shipments, Marwa also requested the NCB’s assistance in providing specialised training for NDLEA officers.

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“We would very much appreciate sharing from your experiences and knowledge, and your support on training for our officers in areas like drugs investigation, financial investigation, cyber training, and monitoring the dark web,” he said.

Responding to Marwa’s concerns and requests, NCB Director General Anurag Garg emphasized the critical need for stronger cooperation between the two agencies.

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He acknowledged that the drug problem transcends international boundaries and assured the NDLEA of the NCB’s commitment to sharing knowledge, intelligence, and expertise on a range of areas of mutual interest.

“We all know that there are transnational syndicates involved in the illicit drug shipments into Nigeria, but we’re ready to work with you on this,” Garg stated.

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“Unless we come together, we cannot end this malady because we’re dealing with transnational drug syndicates.

They have no respect for borders or national laws. So, the only method is to collaborate, and this meeting is a good opportunity to take this initiative forward.”

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Garg also offered training opportunities for NDLEA personnel. “We have a training center where we will be happy to host you for any training,” he said.

“As per your needs, we can curate a training program through which we will be very happy to share whatever we know on the subject of clandestine labs, precursors, darknet monitoring, or investigating darknet vendors.”

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The renewed commitment from both the NDLEA and the NCB signals a concerted effort to disrupt the operations of transnational drug syndicates and protect citizens from the devastating consequences of drug abuse.

The collaboration is expected to focus on intelligence sharing, joint operations, and capacity building to effectively address the complex challenges posed by drug trafficking.

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