Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) intercepted seven containers carrying 1,229,400 bottles of codeine syrup worth ₦9.8 billion at the Onne Ports. This follows a seizure three weeks earlier of 6,125 cartons with 1,050,000 bottles valued at ₦7.35 billion at Port Harcourt Ports complex.

The latest seizure on July 18, 2024, marked the fourth and final consignment under the watchlist of the agency’s Maritime Special Operations Unit Targeting Team. They collaborated with the Port Harcourt Ports Command and other security agencies, including Customs Service, for a thorough examination.

Femi Babafemi, NDLEA's Director of Media & Advocacy, stated that the success resulted from credible intelligence and months of tracking. The joint examination revealed 8,774 cartons of codeine-based cough syrup, totaling 1,229,400 bottles and weighing 184,410 kilograms.

Containers SEKU 6439421 and CMAU 9410422 each contained 875 cartons of codeine, chili cutters, and Hyregra tablets. Container TLLU 7595503 had 1,754 cartons, and four other containers each held 175,000 bottles plus other items to mask the shipment.

Chairman/Chief Executive Brig. Gen. (Retd) Mohamed Marwa praised the officers for their diligence and the operation's success, noting it inflicted significant financial losses on the involved cartels, degrading their capacity.
 

Source: Channelstv