The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) reports that its agents have successfully intercepted numerous shipments containing millions of tramadol 225mg pills, thousands of codeine syrup bottles, and bags of Canadian loud, all arriving in the country in anticipation of Christmas celebrations.

This interception took place at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Ikeja, Lagos.

According to the NDLEA, the development followed the cooperation of men of the Nigeria Customs Service and other stakeholders.

The agency stated that the consignment, which measured seven million five hundred thousand (7,500,000) pills of tramadol 225mg, came onboard a Turkish Airlines plane with no country of manufacture or origin and was taken into custody on Friday, 22nd December.

Giving further details, the NDLEA said that the 7.5 million tramadol 225mg pills were specially designed and packaged as Tamol-x concealed in 100 big cartons weighing 7,150kg.

This was disclosed on Sunday by Femi Babafemi, NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy.

Babafemi also announced that the operatives of the Lagos Command of the Agency on Wednesday conducted a search operation on two shops marked Chex Mat Global Link Limited at the Trade Fair Complex in the Ojo area of Lagos, leading to a seizure of 258 cartons of codeine-based cough syrup and eight cartons of codeine tablets were recovered.

He further added that the cartons contain 49,200 bottles of codeine syrup and 46,200 tablets of the same opioid.

The spokesman also disclosed that NDLEA operatives raided a house in the Mushin area of Lagos, where a 70-year-old grandma, Selifat Funke Cole and her son, Babajide Ayorinde Cole, were arrested with 117.900kg of cannabis sativa.

Announcing further interceptions and seizures made over the week by the anti-narcotic agency, Babafemi said: “A consignment of spare parts that originated from Asaba, Delta state and going to Malviya Nagar, New Delhi, India was intercepted at the cargo terminal of the Lagos airport on Wednesday 20th December. NDLEA sniffer dogs were deployed to examine the spare parts. The dogs were able to identify the particular shipment containing illicit drug concealment, which a physical examination later confirmed to be cocaine measuring 200 grams.

“Not less than 70 parcels of Canadian loud, a strong strain of cannabis, with a gross weight of 35kg were seized by operatives of the Tincan Command of NDLEA from a container, marked BEAU 4993525 coming from Toronto via Montreal, Canada. The container contained four used vehicles, including a Honda CRV 2006 model, where bags of the psychoactive substance were concealed.

“In the FCT Abuja, NDLEA operatives on Monday 18th December intercepted a waybill consignment of 25,000 pills of tramadol, while their counterparts in Anambra arrested two suspects at Onitsha head bridge. Ejiro Emmanuel was driving a bus marked EFR 31 XB conveying 61,100 tramadol capsules; 1,025 bottles of codeine; 1,350 tablets of Rohypnol, and 46grams of designer drug, while Daniel Ogbiyoyo was caught in a bus marked SAP 540 YK conveying 55,950 tramadol capsules; 3,117 bottles of codeine; 1,530 tablets of swinol and 1,350 tablets of rohypnol.

“Operatives in Delta State on Monday 18th December, in a joint operation with the military, raided the home of a drug kingpin, Chukwuma Steven Eneriku, at Okanaro street, Abbi town, where bags of cannabis weighing 353kg were recovered. The same day, NDLEA operatives in Enugu recovered bags of cannabis sativa weighing 435.1kg in a warehouse located at Trans Ekulu, Enugu East LGA.

“In Edo State, five persons dressed in NDLEA operational jackets were arrested with a fabricated gun and pistol carved from wood following intelligence that they were impersonating as officers of the Agency and conducting illegal operations. The suspects include Sebastine Asekiamhe, 22; Raymond Otaru, 28; Emmanuel Wisdom, 23; Solomon Edogamhe, 27; and Bonaventure Oghibui, 22. While some others in NDLEA jackets escaped, a bottle of codeine-based syrup was found with those arrested.”

Reacting to the development, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) commended the efforts of the officers and men of MMIA, Lagos, Edo, Anambra, Enugu, Delta, FCT and Tincan Commands of the Agency as well as the K-9 Unit for jobs well done in the past week.

Marwa urged them and their compatriots across the country to remain vigilant and get ready for the next phase of operations in the new year.