The operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have recovered 892,400 bottles of codeine-based syrup worth N6,246,800,000 at the Port Harcourt Ports Complex in the Onne area of Rivers State.

The NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, August 18, 2024.

The NDLEA spokesman said the illicit drugs were recovered from five containers during a joint examination with the officers of the Nigeria Customs Service and other port stakeholders on Wednesday, August 14, and Thursday, August 15.

Babafemi noted that the bottles of the opioid were packed in 5,337 cartons with a gross weight of 133,860 kilograms and shipped in five containers from India.

Babafemi further disclosed that NDLEA officers on patrol along Kwali-Gwagwalada expressway in Abuja, on Tuesday, August 13, intercepted a truck from which 30,000 ampoules of pentazocine injection were recovered and three suspects – Ifeanyi Sunday, Jeremiah Paul, and Edet Ubokobong – arrested.

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He added that the NDLEA Commands across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation lectures and advocacy visits to worship centres, schools, workplaces, palaces of traditional rulers, and communities all through the week.

The anti-drug agency spokesperson listed the activities to include a WADA sensitisation lecture to students of the College of Nursing Science, Awgu, Enugu State; traditional rulers in Umuahia North, Abia State; WADA advocacy visit to the Olowo of Owo, Oba Ajibade Gbadegesin Ogunleye 111, Ondo State; and WADA advocacy visit to the Dein of Agbor, Dr Benjamin Ikenchukwu Keagborekuzi 1, Delta State; among others.

Commending the officers of the agency for the seizure, the NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), also applauded them for intensifying the WADA sensitisation lectures and advocacy messages to every part of their areas of responsibility.

The Star