The operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted 13,298,000 pills of opioids including Tramadol, Tramaking Quick Action Tramadol, Tamol-X, Royal Tapentadol, and Carisoprodol as well as 338,253 bottles of codeine-based cough syrup, all worth over N9,017,771,000 in street value, at the Port Harcourt Ports, Onne in Rivers State.
The NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, made this known in a statement on Sunday, October 6, 2024.
Babafemi said the opioids were recovered in three containers coming from India and targeted by the NDLEA during a joint examination of the cargoes with the officers of the Nigeria Customs Service and other port stakeholders on Wednesday and Thursday, October 3.
He noted that the NDLEA officers, on Thursday, October 3, also intercepted a commercial bus coming from the Onitsha area of Anambra State to Jalingo, the capital of Taraba State.
Babafemi disclosed that large quantities of opioids, including tramadol, Rohypnol, and codeine-based syrup, concealed in the body compartments of the vehicle were recovered when it was searched.
The NDLEA spokesman stated that two suspects, Pako Thomas and Emmanuel Anyigor, were arrested in connection with the seizure.
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He said another suspect, Chibuzor Okafor, was arrested with 80 blocks of cannabis weighing 38kg hidden in bags of garri at Wukari in Taraba State on Wednesday, October 2.
Babafemi added that a woman, Bolanle Ajenifuja, was arrested in the Afo-Media area of Ojo in Lagos State with 700 litres of skuchies, a mixture of local chapman and cocktail of illicit drugs, on Friday, October 4.
Babafemi further revealed that three suspects – Ezekiel Akpele, Elijah Michael, and Goddard John – were apprehended on Friday when NDLEA operatives raided two cannabis farms located at Bridge Camp, a boundary community between Edo and Ondo States.
The NDLEA spokesperson said 9,966.332kg of cannabis was destroyed on over three hectares of farmland with 48kg of the already processed psychoactive substance recovered.
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