NDLEA Seizes 31 Million Opioid Pills and Bottles at Lagos and Port Harcourt Ports. This was revealed in a statement by the Director of Media and Advocacy, Mr. Femi Babafemi, on Sunday in Abuja.
Babafemi explained that the interceptions were made after the agency gathered intelligence on the shipments’ movement from their point of origin in India, prompting a request for a 100% joint inspection of the flagged containers.
He credited the success of the operation to the collaboration with the Nigerian Customs Service and other security agencies.
A breakdown of the seizure showed that 350,000 bottles of codeine-based syrup were confiscated from two containers at Tincan Port in Lagos on Thursday, August 29, and Friday, August 30, respectively.
Each container held 175,000 bottles of the opioid. Meanwhile, at the Port Harcourt Port Complex in Onne, NDLEA agents also seized 447 cartons containing tramadol 225mg pills.
The cartons contained 29,840,000 pills of the opioid, along with 380,000 bottles of codeine syrup, all from three containers intercepted on Thursday, August 29.
Babafemi quoted NDLEA Chairman, retired Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa, who commended the officers and personnel of PHPC, Tincan, and the Special Operations Unit for their vigilance and professionalism in handling the flagged containers. Marwa also expressed appreciation for the support from other stakeholders at the ports, which ensured the smooth and successful operation in intercepting the shipments.
