NDLEA Intercepts N6.5 Billion Worth Of Opioids, Arrests British Nationals In Major Drug Busts

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted opioids with an estimated street value of N6.524 billion at the Port Harcourt Ports Complex, Onne, Rivers State, and the Apapa Seaport, Lagos.

The seizures, comprising over six million pills of opioids including tamol 225mg, tapentadol 225mg and carisoprodol 225mg, as well as 332,000 bottles of codeine-based cough syrup, were made last week.

NDLEA Spokesman, Femi Babafemi, stated on Sunday that the agency’s success was a result of intelligence gathering and tracking of new routes used by drug cartels to smuggle illicit substances into Nigeria. This led to the watch-listing of specific containers for 100% examination.

“The intercepted consignments at the Port Harcourt ports included six million pills of opioids and 162,000 bottles of codeine syrup uncovered in two containers last Monday and Tuesday during a joint examination of the shipments by NDLEA officers with men of the Nigeria Customs and other security agencies,” Babafemi stated.

At the Apapa port in Lagos, 170,000 bottles of codeine syrup were discovered in a watch-listed container during a similar joint examination exercise last Thursday.

In a separate operation at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, NDLEA operatives arrested two British nationals, Mhizha Tatendra and Ayedipe Adejuwon, along with two Nigerians, Shonowo Imole and Ofuoma Ayobami, for attempting to smuggle 51.1 kilogrammes of “Loud,” a potent strain of cannabis, into the country.

Alexander, the courier, was intercepted upon arrival at MMIA on a Qatar Airline flight from Doha on May 15th, based on intelligence.

He was monitored by NDLEA operatives to the car park, where Adejuwon, described as a Nigerian British, along with Imole and Ayobami, were waiting in an SUV to receive the consignment.

The operatives swooped in as they attempted to drive away, arresting them with the drugs.

Alexander confessed to being recruited during a recent vacation with a promise of £1,300 for successful delivery. Adejuwon, the suspected ringleader, admitted to arriving in Nigeria the day before from South Africa via Ghana.

A follow-up operation at their apartment in Lekki led to the recovery of N3,810,500 cash, an Apple laptop, an iPhone 14 Pro Max, and four laughing gas (Nitro Oxide) canisters. N93,000 and 17,200 South African Rand were recovered from Adejuwon at the time of his arrest.

The NDLEA also reported significant progress in combating cannabis cultivation. In Cross River State, 75,000 kilogrammes of skunk were destroyed across 30 hectares of cannabis farms in Esuk-Odot village, Odukpani LGA, while 200 kilogrammes of the same substance were recovered.

In Edo State, 1,957.5 kilogrammes of cannabis were destroyed at Ohosu forest, Ovia South West LGA, and Okhuse community forest, Owan West LGA.

Further arrests and seizures were made across the country, including in Nasarawa, Kaduna, Bauchi, Yobe, Niger, and Lagos states, involving substantial quantities of skunk, tramadol, diazepam, and other illicit substances.

Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended the officers and men involved in the various operations, praising their efforts to balance drug supply and demand reduction strategies across the country.

The agency continues its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign, promoting social advocacy against drug use nationwide.