The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has intercepted six thousand one hundred and twenty five (6,125) cartons of codeine syrup containing one million one fifty thousand (1,050,000) bottles of the opioid worth over seven billion three hundred and fifty million naira (N7, 350,000,000.00) in street value, at Port Harcourt Ports Complex, Onne, Rivers State.
The NDLEA said Saturday’s seizure of six containers was the third in the last four weeks, following credible intelligence and diligent monitoring of shipments from the port of departure by a special operations unit of the agency, which worked in collaboration with the Port Harcourt Ports Agency Command and other security agencies, including the Customs Service, called for a 100% joint examination of the targeted containers.
Femi Babafemi, Director of Media and Advocacy at the NDLEA, announced this on Sunday.
Babafemi disclosed that a total of 6,125 cartons containing 1,050,000 bottles of codeine syrup weighing 157,500 kilograms were recovered on Saturday. At the end of the joint examination of the six containers.
He further announced that NDLEA officers at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA Ikeja Lagos, arrested two passengers bound for Doha on a Qatar Airways flight at the Terminal 2 checkpoint after they tested positive for ingestion of illicit substances on Friday, June 21.
Babafemi explained that the suspects: Aikhomoun Daniel (alias Oladapo Olanrewaju) and Ayigoro Waheed Omobolaji were later taken into custody by the observatory.
According to him, Daniel expelled a total of 90 packages of cocaine weighing 1.022 kg in six excretions, while Ayigoro expelled 60 packages of the same class A substance weighing a total of 662 grams in five excretions.
Babafemi in the statement said that further investigation revealed that Aikhomoun Daniel actually stole the identity of his late uncle who once lived in Germany, a decision he said he took to obtain a Schengen visa to allow him free access to Europe, while his real name is Oladapo. Olanrewaju.
Announcing further interceptions by the NDLEA, Babafemi said: “No less than 40.32kg of Loud, a strong strain of imported cannabis, was recovered on Friday, June 28, in a black Toyota Tacoma truck along the Lekki-Ikoyi road when the driver jumped out of the vehicle after noticing that NDLEA operatives were on his trail.
“In Abuja, NDLEA operatives on Friday night busted a drug party dubbed “Go hard or Go Home. Pick Your Poison” where sixty (60) suspects comprising 25 men and 35 women were arrested at an apartment in Sun City Estate in the Federal Capital Territory. The raid followed credible intelligence that the drug party was being hosted by one Stanley Ikechukwu, who was arrested on the spot.
“At least six of the suspects: Victoria Adoga; Hamza Yari; Joanne Essein Joy; Socchima Valentine; Jago Imole; and Charles Indobuibisi, were arrested with various quantities of ecstasy and cannabis.”
In a similar development, the NDLEA Chairman/CEO, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), has ordered that 20 of the suspects who tested negative for the drug be released unconditionally, while 33 others who tested positive for the illicit drug were to be released on bail and will report to the Agency’s FCT command on Monday to begin treatment and counselling.
Babafemi, who made the disclosure in a statement, named no fewer than four suspects: Endurance Okon, 24; Giuseppe Michele, 23; Ovoco Luminoso, 43; and Goday Abanum, 23, were arrested deep in the forest of Ugun, Igueben LGA, Edo State, on Saturday, June 29, when NDLEA operatives raided and destroyed 18,632.22 kilograms of cannabis on 7,452,888 hectares of farmland.
While commending the officers and men of MMIA, Port Harcourt, Lagos and Edo Commands for the arrests, seizures and their dexterity, Marwa warned drug cartels that no matter how ingenious their trafficking ways, the Agency’s dedicated manpower in collaboration with other stakeholders and partners will always come forward to unmask them and thwart their tricks.
He urged officers and their colleagues across the country to continue the agency’s balanced approach to drug enforcement efforts.
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