The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted consignments of cannabis and codeine-based cough syrup valued at more than N5 billion at the Apapa, Tin Can Island and Onne seaports.
The agency said the seizures followed months of intelligence gathering and tracking of suspicious shipments from their ports of origin.
According to a statement issued on Sunday by NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, the intercepted consignments included different strains of cannabis, popularly known as Loud, and thousands of bottles of codeine-based cough syrup.
NDLEA Seizes N372m Cannabis at Apapa Port
At the Apapa Port in Lagos, NDLEA operatives discovered 161 parcels of Thai Loud weighing 124 kilogrammes, with an estimated street value of N372 million.
The drugs were reportedly concealed inside two refrigerators and two cartons in a container originating from Bangkok, Thailand.
Babafemi said the container was subjected to a 100 per cent examination in collaboration with officers of the Nigeria Customs Service and other relevant stakeholders.
Canadian Loud Worth N3.8bn Seized at Tin Can Island
At the Tin Can Island Port, Lagos, operatives intercepted a container shipped from Montreal, Canada, following intelligence that it required closer inspection.
The examination, conducted on September 29, reportedly led to the discovery of 2,595 parcels of Canadian Loud weighing 1,297.5 kilogrammes.
The consignment was concealed in a Toyota Sienna and a Hyundai Elantra, alongside 24 blue drums and six jumbo bags.
The NDLEA valued the seized cannabis at more than N3.8 billion.
Codeine Syrup and Cannabis Intercepted at Onne Port
At the Onne Port in Rivers State, NDLEA operatives intercepted two containers flagged for inspection based on intelligence.
The agency said 40 packs of Loud weighing 22 kilogrammes were discovered in a travelling bag and inside three vehicles shipped in one of the containers.
The vehicles were identified as a Toyota Matrix, Toyota Corolla and Hyundai Elantra.
A second container reportedly contained 109,600 bottles of codeine-based cough syrup weighing 16,440 kilogrammes.
According to the NDLEA, the container had been shipped from India to Saudi Arabia, where information about its original point of departure was allegedly removed to evade detection.
The combined street value of the cannabis and codeine consignments intercepted at Onne was estimated at N833.2 million.
NDLEA Intensifies Crackdown on Drug Trafficking
The latest seizures highlight the agency’s efforts to disrupt the trafficking of illicit drugs through Nigeria’s major maritime entry points.
The NDLEA said the operations involved collaboration with the Nigeria Customs Service and other security stakeholders, with intelligence guiding the identification and examination of suspicious containers.
The agency has continued to target international drug trafficking networks that attempt to conceal prohibited substances in vehicles, household equipment and other cargo.
OBASANJONEWS24.NG will continue to provide updates on developments in Nigeria’s fight against drug trafficking and other security challenges.
Source: National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), as reported by The Punch.
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Image alt text: NDLEA officers and seized drug consignments during a drug trafficking interception at a Nigerian seaport.
