NDLEA Intercepts N7.3bn Codeine Consignment
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have intercepted six thousand one hundred and twenty-five cartons of codeine syrup containing one million and fifty thousand bottles of the opioid worth over N7.35 billion in Rivers State.
The seizure made from six containers on Saturday at the at the Port Harcourt Port complex, Onne, Rivers state
The seizure was the third in the past four weeks following credible intelligence and diligent tracking of the consignments from their port of departure by a special operations unit of NDLEA, in partnership with the Port Harcourt Ports Command of the Agency and other security agencies including the Customs Service for a 100 percent joint examination of the targeted containers.
“At the end of the joint examination of the six containers, a total of 6,125 cartons containing 1,050,000 bottles of codeine syrup weighing 157,500 kilograms were recovered on Saturday,” NDLEA Spokesman, Femi Babafemi said in a statement on Sunday.
Meanwhile, NDLEA officers at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA Ikeja Lagos have arrested two passengers travelling to Doha on a Qatar Airways flight after they tested positive to ingestion of illicit substances on June 21.
The suspects, Aikhomoun Daniel, alias Oladapo Olanrewaju, and Ayigoro Waheed Omobolaji, were thereafter taken into observatory custody.
“While Daniel excreted a total of 90 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.022kg in six excretions, Ayigoro discharged 60 wraps of the same Class A substance with a total weight of 662grams.
According to Babafemi, investigation revealed that Daniel stole the identity of his late uncle who was once based in Germany, to get Schengen visa to enable him free access to Europe, while his real name is Oladapo Olanrewaju.
Similarly, 40.32kg of Loud, an imported strong strain of cannabis was on Friday recovered in a black Toyota Tacoma truck along Lekki-Ikoyi road when the driver jumped off the vehicle after noticing that NDLEA operatives were on his trail.
In Abuja, NDLEA operatives on Friday night disrupted a drug party dubbed “Go hard or Go Home. Pick Your Poison”, where sixty (60) suspects comprising 25 males and 35 females were arrested at an apartment in Sun City estate in the Federal Capital Territory.
The raid followed credible intelligence about the drug party organized by one Stanley Ikechukwu who was arrested at the venue.
“At least six of the suspects: Victoria Adoga; Hamza Yari; Joanne Essein Joy; Socchima Valentine; Jago Imole; and Charles Indobuibisi, were arrested with different quantities of ecstasy and cannabis.
“The Chairman of NDLEA, Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) has directed that 20 of the suspects who tested negative to drug be released unconditionally, while 33 others who tested positive to illicit drugs were to be released on bail and will report at the FCT Command of the Agency on Monday to begin treatment and counselling,” Babafemi added.
In Edo, operatives on Saturday arrested four suspects, Endurance Okon, 24; Joseph Michael, 23; Ovoco Bright, 43; and Goday Abanum, 23, at a cannabis farm.
At the farm located deep inside Ugun forest in Igueben LGA of Edo state, the NDLEA operatives destroyed 18,632.22 kilograms of cannabis planted on 7.452888 hectares of farmland.