The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted significant quantities of codeine at the Port Harcourt Ports complex in Onne, Rivers State. The seized shipments include cartons of codeine-based cough syrup and bottles of the opioid, with a total value exceeding N9.8 billion.
The operation uncovered seven containers carrying 1,229,400 bottles of codeine, worth over N9,835,200,000. This seizure follows a similar operation three weeks earlier, where 6,125 cartons containing 1,050,000 bottles of codeine syrup, valued at over N7,350,000,000, were confiscated at the same port.
According to Femi Babafemi, Director of Media & Advocacy for the NDLEA, the latest seizure on July 18, 2024, was the result of credible intelligence and months of diligent tracking. He noted that this was the fourth and final batch of such consignments monitored by the Agency’s Maritime Special Operations Unit Targeting Team. The operation involved collaboration with the Port Harcourt Ports Command of the NDLEA, the Customs Service, and other security agencies for a thorough examination of the containers.
During the joint examination, all seven containers were found to contain a total of 8,774 cartons of codeine-based cough syrup, amounting to 1,229,400 bottles and weighing 184,410 kilograms. A detailed breakdown of the shipments revealed:
- Container SEKU 6439421: 875 cartons with 175,000 bottles of codeine (26,250 kg), plus 70 cartons of chili cutters and 55 cartons of hyregra tablets (1,100 kg).
- Container CMAU 9410422: 875 cartons with 175,000 bottles of codeine (26,250 kg), plus 15 cartons of chili cutters and 60 cartons of hyregra tablets (1,200 kg).
- Container TLLU 7595503: 1,754 cartons with 179,400 bottles of codeine (26,910 kg).
Four other containers, marked TRHU 515117, CMAU 7877125, CMAU 8533700, and CMAU 3882205, each contained 175,000 bottles of codeine, along with other items such as chili cutters, hyregra tablets, and diclofenac used to mask the shipments.
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