NDLEA seizes codeine worth N9.8bn in Rivers
National Drug Law Enforcement Agency NDLEA
NDLEA seized codeine worth N9.8bn in Rivers
Abdullateef Fowewe
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has intercepted N9.8bn worth of fresh codeine shipments from India at Onne ports, River State.
This is coming three weeks after NDLEA seized 6,125 cartons of codeine syrup containing one 1,050,000 bottles of the opioid worth over N7. 350bn in street value, at the Port Harcourt Ports complex, Onne, Rivers state.
In a statement on Friday by the NDLEA Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, the seizure occurred on Thursday, July 18, 2024, following credible spying and months of diligent tracking of the consignments from their port of departure in India.
Babafemi wrote, “The latest seizure made on Thursday 18th July 2024 is the fourth and last set of such consignments that have been under the watchlist of the Agency’s Maritime Special Operations Unit Targetting Team, which worked in partnership with the Port Harcourt Ports Command of the Agency and other security agencies including the Customs Service for a 100 per cent joint examination of the targeted containers.
“At the joint examination of the containers with other security agencies on Thursday, all seven containers were found bearing a total of 8,774 cartons of codeine-based cough syrup with 1, 229, 400 bottles weighing 184,410 kilograms.
“A breakdown of the shipments that came from India via the Maersk Vigo Vessel shows that the container marked SEKU 6439421 has 875 cartons with 175,000 bottles of codeine weighing 26,250kg. Other items in the container include 70 cartons of chilli cutters and 55 cartons of hyregra tablets weighing 1,100kg. Another container marked CMAU 9410422 contains 875 cartons of codeine with 175,000 bottles weighing 26,250 kg.
“Other items in the container include 15 cartons of chilli cutters and 60 cartons of hyregra tablets weighing 1,200 kg. Also, the container marked TLLU 7595503 has a total of 1, 754 cartons of codeine syrup containing 179, 400 bottles weighing 26,910kg. Four other containers marked: TRHU 515117; CMAU 7877125; CMAU 8533700; and CMAU 3882205 contain 175,000 bottles of the same substance each in addition to other items such as chilli cutters, cartons of hyregra tablets and diclofenac used to mask the shipments.”
Reacting to the successful operation, the Chairman/ Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), praised the officers of the various formations of the Agency that had been working on the targeted containers for months for their persistence, vigilance and professionalism. He also acknowledged the support received from other stakeholders at the ports that enabled the seamless and successful operations in the course of targeting the shipments.
