The operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted another consignment of 175,000 bottles of codeine-based syrup imported from India.

This comes barely a week after the NDLEA operatives seized a shipment of 175,000 bottles of the same opioid at the Port Harcourt Ports complex in Onne, Rivers State.

The spokesperson for the anti-drug agency, Femi Babafemi, in a statement on Sunday, June 9, 2024, said the two seizures followed earlier intelligence, which made the agency request that the shipment be stepped down for 100 per cent examination.

Babafemi disclosed that the latest seizure of 875 cartons of codeine containing 175,000 bottles and weighing 26,250kg was made on Friday, June 7, during a joint examination by NDLEA, Customs, and other security agencies.

He said the container marked HASU 4787890 from India was en route C to C bonded terminal in Enugu.

The NDLEA spokesman added that 17,980 pills of tramadol and other opioids were seized from a 36-year-old suspect, Ali Isiaka Mohammed, following his arrest at Ganaja village in Lokoja Local Government Area of Kogi State.

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Babafemi stated that 35-year-old Blessing Samuel and 34-year-old Unnanchi Mike were arrested with 804 bottles of codeine syrup at Narayi in Kaduna State.

He noted that Tijjani Umar, 37, and Yahaya Suleman, 35, were also arrested with 33.9 kilograms of Cannabis Sativa in the Lafiya area in Kudan Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

Babafemi further revealed that nine suspects were arrested by NDLEA operatives during a raid in the Toaabora hills area of Abuja on Saturday, June 8, with 83.01kg of cannabis recovered from them.

Commending the anti-narcotic officers for the arrests and seizures, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), noted their drug supply reduction efforts balanced with War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation activities and charged them and their compatriots across the country to maintain the zeal and tempo.

The Star