The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has seized 892,400 bottles of codeine-based syrup valued N6.2 billion.
The Spokesman of the agency, Femi Babafemi explained in a statement on Sunday in Abuja that the NDLEA officials recovered the drugs from five containers imported from India.
Babafemi said that the operation was carried out by NDLEA at the Onne Port, Rivers State, noting that the seizures were made during a joint examination of the containers with officials of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and other port stakeholders on 14 and 15 August.
He noted: “The bottles of the opioids were packed in 5,337 cartons with a gross weight of 133,860kg and shipped in five containers from India.”
Also, he stressed that NDLEA was supported by Nigerian soldiers, other security agencies and community youths raided the Ise forest reserve, Saalaja camp, Ise-Ekiti on August 14 2024, saying that 21,800kg of cannabis sativa (Indian hemp) on 20 hectares of farmland were destroyed.
He noted: “The following day, 15 August, NDLEA officers on patrol along Onitsha- Enugu Road in Enugu State intercepted a Sienna bus marked SKA-24 AG. A total 200.2kg of cannabis (Indian hemp) was recovered and the driver.