NDLEA intercepts 3m opioid capsules at Lagos terminal

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted three million capsules of opioids at the Jaelith Bonded Container Terminal in Lagos.

The NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, who disclosed this in a stament on Friday in Abuja, said the drugs weighing 1,500 kilograms were seized by the operatives on March 7.

He added that the agency’s anti-narcotic officers also intercepted 8,613 kilograms of Loud cannabis smuggled in from Ghana through the waterways at the Eko Atlantic Beach, Victoria Island, Lagos, on March 6.

According to Babafemi, the drugs were discovered during a joint examination of a 20feet container SUDU 7774749 with men of Nigerian Customs Service at the terminal.

The spokesman said: “Though the consignment was said to have originated from Ningbo province in China and falsely labelled as containing 271 packages of insulating fittings, faucet water closet, industrial office printing machine, investigations revealed that information on the bill of laden and shipping documents were fake.

“Further investigations uncovered that the container originated from India and arrived in Nigeria Apapa port on 10th February 2022.

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“Findings showed that the Tramadol found and labelled as Tafrodol 120mg is actually Tapentadol, which is more dangerous and potent opioid than Tramadol.

“It was also discovered that the container, SUDU 7774749, was consigned from India in Nhava Sheva port, then transloaded through Morocco and Ghana to Nigeria.

“Meanwhile, based on credible intelligence, operatives of the Lagos Command of the Agency in the early hours of Sunday, 6th March, intercepted a consignment of Cannabis Sativa (Loud), weighing 8,613kg smuggled from Ghana through the waterways to the Eko Atlantic Beach side, Victoria Island.

“Some drivers and their assistants, Adeyemi Bayioku, 31; Godwin Anya, 28; Yusuf Taofik, 20, and Adeniyi Adelaja, 19, who were on ground to load the shipment into their vehicles, were promptly arrested while two trucks, a Siena space bus, Peugeot Boxer bus and a Toyota Camry car were seized from them.”

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