The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has announced a significant seizure of hard drugs valued at N17.9 billion during major operations in Lagos and Rivers States.
The interception involved 31,124,600 pills of tramadol 225mg and bottles of codeine-based syrup, according to a statement by the NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, on Sunday.
The seizures were made at the Onne and Tincan seaports following intelligence reports that led the agency to demand a 100 percent joint examination of watch-listed containers in collaboration with the Nigerian Customs Service and other security agencies.
Babafemi detailed the breakdown of the seizures, stating, “350,000 bottles of codeine-based syrup were recovered from two containers at Tincan port in Lagos on Thursday 29th and Friday 30th August 2024, with each container holding 175,000 bottles of the opioid.”
At the Port Harcourt Port Complex in Onne, NDLEA operatives also intercepted a total of 447 cartons of tramadol 225mg, containing 29,840,000 pills of the opioid. Additionally, 380,000 bottles of codeine syrup were seized from three containers on Thursday, 29th August.
The tramadol shipments were identified under various brand names, including Royal Tapetadol, Carisoprodol 225mg, and Royal Tramadol Hydrochloride 225mg.
In a related development, a wanted ex-beauty queen, Aderinoye Queen Christmas, also known as Queen Oluwadamilola Aderinoye, has surrendered to the NDLEA Lagos Command after evading capture for approximately eight months.
The former Miss Commonwealth Nigeria Culture 2015/2016, who was declared wanted by the agency in January, turned herself in on Wednesday, 28th August, according to Babafemi.
“The suspect was declared wanted after escaping from her residence in Lekki, Lagos, during an NDLEA raid on her apartment at Oral estate on 24th January.
The raid was conducted following credible intelligence indicating her involvement in the illicit drug trade,” Babafemi revealed.
During the search of her residence, officials recovered 606 grams of Canadian Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis, an electronic weighing scale, large quantities of drug packaging materials, a black RAV 4 SUV marked Lagos KSF 872 GQ, and a framed photograph of the suspect.
Babafemi added, “The suspect claimed she had been hiding in Akure, Ondo State, since January when she evaded arrest in Lekki, Lagos. However, she decided to surrender to the agency last Wednesday.”
