Posted by The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has reported the interception of 31,124,600 Tramadol (225mg) pills and bottles of codeine-based syrup with a street value exceeding N17,932,200,000.00 at the Port Harcourt Port Complex in Onne, Rivers State, and Tincan Seaport in Lagos.
According to NDLEA, the seizures were carried out after the Agency analyzed intelligence on the transportation of the shipments from their source in India.
This led to a request for a comprehensive joint inspection of the containers highlighted as watch-listed, in collaboration with the Nigerian Customs Service and other security agencies.
The announcement was made by Femi Babafemi, the Director of Media and Advocacy at the NDLEA, on Sunday.
Babafemi revealed that a detailed analysis of the confiscations reveals that a total of 350,000 bottles of syrup containing codeine were retrieved from two specific containers located at Tincan Port in Lagos on Thursday, August 29th, and Friday, August 30th, 2024. A total of 175,000 bottles of the opioid were contained in each of the two containers.
Furthermore, he said that NDLEA agents seized a combined total of 447 cartons of tramadol (225mg) containing 29,840,000 pills of the narcotic, together with 380,000 bottles of codeine syrup, from three containers on Thursday, August 29th, at the Port Harcourt Port Complex in Onne.
Babafemi further said that the shipments of tramadol were distributed under several brand names, including Royal Tapentadol, Carisoprodol (225mg), and Royal Tramadol Hydrochloride (225mg).
As to the statement, a separate group of three containers, which were classified as watch-listed by NDLEA, underwent a combined inspection on Friday, 30th August.
This inspection led to the retrieval of 3,030 cartons of codeine syrup, which contained 554,600 bottles of the narcotic.
Babafemi added that the finding increases the cumulative number of codeine bottles confiscated at Onne, Rivers State, and Tincan in Lagos to 1,284,600 bottles, with a street value of N8,992,200,000.00.
The overall confiscation of tramadol amounted to 29,840,000 pills, priced at N8,940,000,000.00.
Furthermore, on Tuesday, 27th August, NDLEA agents at the Port Harcourt International Airport in Rivers State apprehended Eze Emekan Don, a suspect, while trying to board a Cronos Airline flight to Malabo, Equatorial Guinea.
Don was found with 1,490 pills of tramadol hidden and disguised as cosmetics from various brands inside his luggage. His endeavour to provide a bribe to the officers in order to avoid being arrested was rejected.
Meanwhile, Ms. Aderinoye Queen Christmas, also known as Ms. Queen Oluwadamilola Aderinoye, a sought-after former beauty queen, has voluntarily surrendered to the Lagos Command of the Agency after a period of several months in concealment.
She was officially reported as a wanted individual by the agency in January after fleeing from her residence in Lekki, Lagos. NDLEA agents conducted a raid on her flat in Oral Estate, Lekki, on Wednesday, January 24th, based on reliable information that she is involved in the trafficking of illegal drugs.
The NDLEA has identified the suspect as Miss Commonwealth Nigeria Culture 2015/2016 and the individual responsible for establishing the Queen Christmas Foundation.
“During the search conducted at her residence, which was observed by estate officials, several items were found.
These included 606 grams of Canadian Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis, an electronic weighing scale, significant amounts of drug packaging plastics, a black RAV 4 SUV identified as Lagos KSF 872 GQ, and her picture frame, among other items.
Babafemi stated that the suspect, who said she had been concealing herself in Akure, Ondo State, since January after evading capture in Lekki, Lagos, voluntarily surrendered to the Agency on Wednesday, August 28th.
Following the arrest of Mustapha Ibrahim on Monday, 26th August, along Orchid Road, Ajah, Lagos, a total of 1,122 kilogrammes of cannabis were confiscated. Additionally, 816 kilogrammes of the same psychoactive material, which belonged to a suspect who is still at large, were also discovered from the same place on the same day.
On Monday, August 26th, NDLEA agents in Niger State apprehended Friday Gabriel, a suspect identified as carrying 1,900 tramadol capsules, 300 bottles of codeine syrup, and 600 packets of Exol-5 tablets, along Minna-Suleja Road.
On Saturday, August 31st, operatives in Bauchi State apprehended two suspects, Garba Muhammed, 35, and Usman Yakubu Shehu, 31, while engaged in the transportation of 308 blocks of cannabis weighing 246.4kg. The cannabis was hidden in a false compartment of a J5 bus identified as Edo State URM 38 ZY,” he further stated.
Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, praised the officers and men of PHPC, Tincan, and the Special Operations Unit of the Agency for their thoroughness and professionalism in handling the recent seizures and arrests of the targeted containers.
Marwa also commended the assistance provided by various stakeholders at the ports, which facilitated the smooth and effective operations during the purposeful targeting of the goods.
Moreover, he commended the operatives in Lagos, Niger, Bauchi, and PHIA, along with other commands throughout the country, for their conscientiousness and equilibrium in their endeavors to decrease drug demand and supply.