NDLEA intercepts 175,000 bottles of codeine shipment from India

NDLEA intercepts 175,000 bottles of codeine shipment from India

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, on Friday, intercepted no fewer than 175,000 bottles of codeine shipment from India en route to Enugu State barely one week after it seized a similar shipment in Rivers State.

This is just as the anti-narcotics agency arrested a Nigerien for concealing drugs in pesticide tanks and 19 others in multiple raids across the country.

The agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, in a statement on Sunday, added that the NDLEA Directorate of Operations and General Investigation intercepted illicit drugs concealed in synthetic hair and ladies’ clothes meant for shipment to the United States.

Speaking on the intercepted codeine shipment, Babafemi stated that the agency received intelligence which prompted it to carefully examine a container marked HASU 4787890 from India which was en route the C to C Bonded Terminal in Enugu.

He explained, “The two seizures followed earlier intelligence, which made the agency request that the shipment be stepped down for 100 per cent examination. The latest seizure of 875 cartons of codeine containing 175,000 bottles and weighing 26,250kg, was made on Friday, June 7, 2024, during a joint examination by the NDLEA, customs service and other security agencies. The container marked HASU 4787890 from India was en route C to C Bonded Terminal in Enugu.”

On the seizure of drugs concealed in synthetic hair, Babafemi stated, “The NDLEA officers of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation on Wednesday, June 5, intercepted five different parcels containing illicit drugs concealed in ladies’ clothes and synthetic hair going to the United States and the United Kingdom.

“Some of the seized drugs include 620 ampoules of pentazocine injection, promethazine and other opioids. The drug consignments were seized at a courier firm in Lagos.”

Explaining the arrest of the Nigerien, Hassan Mummuni, the agency’s Director of Advocacy noted that the suspect was arrested with 4,000 pills of diazepam and 1.250kg of cannabis along the Kalgo-Birnin Kebbi Road on Saturday.

He added that one Ibrahim Abubakar was also arrested in Gombe on the same day with 6,740 pills of tramadol and 20,000 tablets of diazepam while no fewer than 1,098 bottles of codeine-based syrup were recovered from a suspect, Onyekachi Iwula, after his arrest in a commercial bus at Aloma junction, Otukpa, Ogbadibo LGA, Benue State.

The statement read further, “In Bauchi State, the NDLEA officers on patrol along the Ningi-Kano Road on Wednesday, June 5, arrested a 20-year-old lady, Hasana Usman, with 25 blocks of cannabis sativa that weighed 28.2kg, while their counterparts in Yobe State nabbed Ali Mohammed, 42, along Kano-Potiskum Road, with 19,000 pills of tramadol 225mg concealed in a black sack and the suspect’s travelling bag.

“In Oyo State, 57-year-old Oladimeji Samson was arrested in a commercial bus at the Ibadan end, of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway with 79 blocks of cannabis sativa weighing 44.4kg and 48 grams of ecstasy, all concealed in the engine compartment under the driver’s seat of the bus.”

In Kogi State, the NDLEA also intercepted 17,980 pills of tramadol and other opioids from a suspect, Ali Mohammed, following his arrest at Ganaja village, in the Lokoja LGA of the state while the duo of Blessing Samuel and Unnanchi Mike, were arrested with 804 bottles of codeine syrup at Narayi, Kaduna State.

“Also in Kaduna, Tijjani Umar, 37, and Yahaya Suleman, 35, were arrested with 33.9 kilograms of cannabis sativa in the Lafiya area, Kudan Local Government Area of the state.

“At least, nine suspects including Salisu Sanda, 48, and James Andrew, 25, were arrested by the NDLEA operatives during a raid at the Toaabora Hills area of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja on Saturday, June 8, with a total of 83.01kg cannabis recovered from them,” Babafemi concluded.