NDLEA seizes N5bn worth of Loud, Codeine in Lagos, Rivers Ports

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted consignments of high-potency cannabis known as Loud and codeine-based cough syrup worth more than N5 billion in street value at the Apapa, Tincan Island and Onne seaports.

The seizures followed months of intelligence gathering and tracking of the shipments from their countries of origin, according to the NDLEA Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi.

Babafemi disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, saying the operations were conducted in collaboration with the Nigeria Customs Service and other stakeholders.

At the Apapa Port, Lagos, NDLEA operatives subjected two containers shipped from Bangkok, Thailand, to 100 per cent examination following intelligence received by the agency.

A search of one of the containers reportedly led to the discovery of 161 parcels of Thai Loud weighing 124kg, with an estimated street value of N372 million.

The cannabis was allegedly concealed inside two refrigerators and two cartons.

At the Onne Port in Rivers State, two containers placed on the NDLEA watch list following intelligence were subjected to a joint examination by NDLEA, Customs and other security agencies.

The exercise reportedly resulted in the seizure of 40 packs of Loud weighing 22kg, concealed inside a travelling bag and three of five vehicles loaded in one of the containers.

The vehicles identified were a Toyota Matrix, Toyota Corolla and Hyundai Elantra.

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A second container reportedly contained 109,600 bottles of codeine-based cough syrup, weighing approximately 16,440kg.

Babafemi said the container had originally departed India for Saudi Arabia, where its history of origin was allegedly deleted in an attempt to prevent the shipment from being targeted.

The NDLEA said the Loud and codeine consignments seized at Onne had a combined street value of N833.2 million.

At the Tincan Island Port in Lagos, operatives on September 29 conducted a joint examination of another watch-listed container shipped from Montreal, Canada.

The search yielded 2,595 parcels of Canadian Loud weighing 1,297.5kg, with an estimated street value of more than N3.8 billion.

According to Babafemi, the cannabis was concealed inside a Toyota Sienna and Hyundai Elantra, alongside 24 blue drums and six jumbo bags.

Beyond the ports, the agency also reported arrests and drug seizures in Edo State.

In Uyere community, Ovia North-East Local Government Area, NDLEA officers on October 2 raided the residence of a 35-year-old suspect, Saturday Omimi, recovering 32.2kg of cannabis sativa.

On the same day, operatives arrested 23-year-old Osazuwa Iyabor Michael at Auchi Bypass, Benin City.

The suspect was allegedly found with 59 grams of Loud, 12 grams of Colorado, 19 grams of Tramadol, 16 grams of methamphetamine, 4 grams of Swinol and 4 grams of Molly.

The agency also announced the arrest of 47-year-old Idris Mohammed Kurra, a suspected drug trafficker who had allegedly been on the run for six years after jumping bail.

Babafemi said Kurra was facing trial before the Federal High Court in Jos, Plateau State, over alleged possession and trafficking in 198kg of skunk.

He reportedly secured bail in December 2020 but subsequently absconded and remained at large until his recent arrest.

Meanwhile, the NDLEA said its commands and formations nationwide continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation campaigns in schools, religious centres, workplaces and communities during the week under review.

The NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended officers and personnel involved in the operations for what he described as professionalism and an intelligence-driven approach.

Marwa urged the agency’s personnel to sustain pressure on drug trafficking networks across the country while maintaining its balanced approach to drug control.