The operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted three million capsules of opioids at Jaelith Bonded Container Terminal under Tincan seaport in the Apapa area of Lagos State.

The seizure of 3,000,000 capsules of Tapentadol and Carisoprodol weighing 1,500 kilograms on Monday, March 7, 2022, followed a similar operation in which NDLEA officers also intercepted 8,613 kilograms of Loud cannabis smuggled in from Ghana through the waterways at the Eko Atlantic Beach, Victoria Island, Lagos the previous day.

This was made known via a statement issued by the NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, on Friday.

Babafemi stated that the seized drugs at the bonded terminal were discovered during a joint examination of a 20ft container, SUDU 7774749 with men of Customs service.

He added that though the consignment was said to have originated from Ningbo province in China and falsely labelled as containing 271 packages of “insulating fittings, faucet water closet wc, industrial office printing machine”, investigations revealed that information on the bill of laden and shipping documents were fake.

The anti-narcotic spokesperson noted that further investigations uncovered that the container originated from India and arrived in Nigeria Apapa port on February 10, 2022.

Babafemi added: “Findings showed that the Tramadol found and labelled as Tafrodol 120mg is actually Tapentadol, which is more dangerous and potent opioid than Tramadol.

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“It was also discovered that the container, SUDU 7774749 was consigned from India in Nhava Sheva port, then transloaded through Morocco and Ghana to Nigeria.

“Meanwhile, based on credible intelligence, operatives of the Lagos Command of the Agency in the early hours of Sunday 6th March intercepted a consignment of Cannabis Sativa (Loud) weighing 8,613kg smuggled from Ghana through the waterways to the Eko Atlantic Beachside, Victoria Island.

“Some drivers and their assistants: Adeyemi Bayioku, 31; Godwin Anya, 28; Yusuf Taofik, 20; and Adeniyi Adelaja, 19; who were on ground to load the shipment into their vehicles were promptly arrested while two trucks, a Siena space bus, Peugeot Boxer bus, and a Toyota Camry car were seized from them.”

Speaking on the development, the Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) commended the officers of the Tincan port and the anti-drug operatives for their vigilance and commitment to the mission to rid Nigeria of illicit drugs.

He further applauded the current synergy and working relationship between the NDLEA and other law enforcement agencies in the country.

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The Star