By Kazeem Ugbodaga
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have seized large consignments of opioids valued at N22.74 billion across three major seaports.
In a statement issued on Sunday, NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, revealed that the agency intercepted 32,607,900 tramadol pills, worth over N12.57 billion, and 1,451,994 bottles of codeine-based syrup with a street value of N10.16 billion.
The seizures occurred at Lekki Deep Seaport, Apapa Seaport in Lagos, and Port Harcourt Port Complex, Onne, Rivers State.
The total estimated value of the seized drugs amounts to N22,740,958,000.
Babafemi explained that the illicit opioids consignments were intercepted from containers flagged by NDLEA based on intelligence, and processed for full joint examination with officers from Nigeria Customs and other security agencies at the three seaports between Monday, 7th and Friday, 11th October 2024.
In a related development, NDLEA operatives in Anambra arrested a suspect, 29-year-old Okelue Chidera, on Saturday, 12th October with 50,000 tablets of tramadol 200mg at Upper Iweka, Onitsha.
In Edo State, NDLEA officers raided a cannabis transit and loading point at Aviose, Owan West LGA, where 70 bags of the substance weighing 1,050kg were recovered. Another suspect, Monday Akele, 38, was apprehended on Friday, 11th October during a raid at Owan Village, Ovia North East LGA, where an additional 110kg of cannabis was seized.
