NDLEA Intercepts 100,000 Bottles Of Codeine Syrup At Onne Port

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted
over 100,000 bottles of codeine syrup with a total weight of 15,325
kgs at the Onne seaport, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Spokesman of the agency, Femi Babafemi, said on Saturday in
Abuja that the illicit substance, cough syrup with codeine (100mg),
packed in 500 cartons and concealed in a container marked MRKU
1565305, bearing imported food masks made in India, was discovered
on Thursday, 10 June 2021 in a warehouse at the Onne port
complex.

According to him, this was during a joint examination with
officers of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), State Security
Service (SSS), National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and
Control (NAFDAC), among others.

The seizure followed an intelligence received by NDLEA, as a
result of which the container was put on hold and moved to the
Customs Government warehouse within the port complex.

“No importer or agent has however come forward in respect of the
container but efforts are ongoing to track the owner for further
investigation and prosecution,” Babafemi said.

Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International
Airport, Abuja (NAIA), have seized nine cartons of khat, weighing
146.95 kgs at the cargo wing of the airport.

The consignment packaged as dried green tea was shipped from
Addis Ababa, on board Ethiopian airline flight ET911.

After initial examination and suspicion, a clearing agent was
asked to report with the consignee before the release but failed to
do so for fear of arrest, a development that led to a laboratory
test on the consignment, which tested positive to khat and the
eventual seizure.

Speaking on the development, Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA,
Brig-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) hailed the synergy among
various government agencies at the Onne port and charged them not
to rest on their oars as they daily work hard to keep Nigeria safe
of illicit drugs.

He said, “The damage 100,000 bottles of codeine would have done
to our youths if they had slipped through the port to our villages,
towns and cities is unimaginable. 146.95 kgs of khat could have
done the same damage if allowed to go into our streets. We’ll
continue to motivate our officers and men so that they can give
their best in the discharge of their responsibilities across the
country and ultimately with the support of all our stakeholders and
partnervs.”

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted
over 100,000 bottles of codeine syrup with a total weight of 15,325
kgs at the Onne seaport, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Spokesman of the agency, Femi Babafemi, said on Saturday in
Abuja that the illicit substance, cough syrup with codeine (100mg),
packed in 500 cartons and concealed in a container marked MRKU
1565305, bearing imported food masks made in India, was discovered
on Thursday, 10 June 2021 in a warehouse at the Onne port
complex.

According to him, this was during a joint examination with
officers of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), State Security
Service (SSS), National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and
Control (NAFDAC), among others.

The seizure followed an intelligence received by NDLEA, as a
result of which the container was put on hold and moved to the
Customs Government warehouse within the port complex.

“No importer or agent has however come forward in respect of the
container but efforts are ongoing to track the owner for further
investigation and prosecution,” Babafemi said.

Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International
Airport, Abuja (NAIA), have seized nine cartons of khat, weighing
146.95 kgs at the cargo wing of the airport.

The consignment packaged as dried green tea was shipped from
Addis Ababa, on board Ethiopian airline flight ET911.

After initial examination and suspicion, a clearing agent was
asked to report with the consignee before the release but failed to
do so for fear of arrest, a development that led to a laboratory
test on the consignment, which tested positive to khat and the
eventual seizure.

Speaking on the development, Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA,
Brig-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) hailed the synergy among
various government agencies at the Onne port and charged them not
to rest on their oars as they daily work hard to keep Nigeria safe
of illicit drugs.

He said, “The damage 100,000 bottles of codeine would have done
to our youths if they had slipped through the port to our villages,
towns and cities is unimaginable. 146.95 kgs of khat could have
done the same damage if allowed to go into our streets. We’ll
continue to motivate our officers and men so that they can give
their best in the discharge of their responsibilities across the
country and ultimately with the support of all our stakeholders and
partnervs.”