Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have successfully intercepted multi-billion naira shipments of illicit substances, including various strains of cannabis and codeine-based syrup, during intelligence-led operations at major seaports and an international airport.

The nationwide crackdown involved coordinated searches at the Apapa, Tin Can Island, and Onne seaports, alongside the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.

Seaport Interceptions

• Apapa Port, Lagos: Acting on intelligence, officers conducted a joint 100 percent examination of two containers arriving from Bangkok, Thailand. The search revealed 161 parcels of Thai Loud weighing 124 kilograms, valued at N372 million, cleverly concealed inside two refrigerators and two cartons.

• Tin Can Island Port, Lagos: A watch-listed container shipped from Montreal, Canada, was subjected to a joint inspection. Inside, operatives discovered 2,595 parcels of Canadian Loud weighing 1,297.5 kilograms, with a street value exceeding N3.8 billion. The narcotics were hidden inside a Toyota Sienna, a Hyundai Elantra, 24 blue drums, and six jumbo bags.

• Onne Port, Rivers State: Two watch-listed containers were examined, resulting in major drug seizures. One container held 40 packs of Loud weighing 22 kilograms, hidden inside a travelling bag and three imported vehicles. The second container carried 109,600 bottles of codeine-based cough syrup weighing 16,440 kilograms. Investigators revealed that the shipment had originated in India and was routed through Saudi Arabia to obscure its true origin. The combined value of the Onne port seizures is estimated at N833.2 million.

Airport Arrest and Other Nationwide Operations

At the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Ikeja, Lagos, anti-narcotics officers intercepted a 28-year-old businessman bound for Milan, Italy. The suspect was arrested at Terminal 2 ahead of a Royal Air Maroc flight after a thorough search uncovered 4.80 kilograms of cocaine hidden in the soles of eight pairs of shoes and the metal railings of four travel bags. During questioning, the suspect admitted to purchasing a portion of the drugs for N16 million.

In related operations across the country:

• Operatives destroyed 20,234 kilograms of cannabis growing on an 8.09-hectare farm in the Ife South Local Government Area of Osun State.

• In Lagos, a raid on an unoccupied compound in Divine Estate, Ago Palace, led to the recovery of 209,000 tablets of tramadol.

• A 23-year-old suspect was arrested at the Ladipo Spare Parts Market following the interception of synthetic cannabis and methamphetamine hidden inside an energy drink bottle along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.

Following these successful operations, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA commended the operatives for their diligence and urged them to maintain pressure on drug trafficking networks across the country.