NDLEA seizes N5bn worth of loud, codeine in major port drug bust

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

NDLEA operatives at the Apapa, Tincan Island and Onne seaports have intercepted container consignments of Loud, a strong strain of cannabis, and codeine-based syrup worth over N5 billion, following months of intelligence gathering and tracking of the shipments from their ports of origin.

According to the NDLEA Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi in a statement on Sunday, NDLEA officers at the Apapa Port in Lagos, acting on intelligence, subjected two containers from Bangkok, Thailand, to 100 per cent examination alongside men of the Nigeria Customs Service and other stakeholders.

Babafemi said a search of one of the containers on Saturday, September 3, yielded 161 parcels of Thai Loud weighing 124kg and valued at N372 million.

He said the consignment was concealed inside two refrigerators and two cartons.

At the Onne Port in Rivers State, Babafemi revealed that two containers watch-listed by the NDLEA based on processed intelligence were subjected to joint examination with Customs and other security agencies.

He stated that the exercise led to the discovery of 40 packs of Loud weighing 22kg, hidden inside a travelling bag and three of five vehicles-a Toyota Matrix, Toyota Corolla and Hyundai Elantra, shipped in one of the containers.

Babafemi said the second container contained 109,600 bottles of codeine-based cough syrup weighing 16,440kg.

According to him, the container had left India for Saudi Arabia, where its history of origin was deleted to prevent it from being targeted.

He added that the codeine and Loud consignments recovered at the Onne Port had a combined street value of N833.2 million.

At the Tincan Island Port in Lagos, Babafemi disclosed that NDLEA operatives on Tuesday, September 29, conducted a joint examination of a watch-listed container from Montreal, Canada, alongside Customs and other stakeholders.

He said the operation resulted in the seizure of 2,595 parcels of Canadian Loud weighing 1,297.5kg and valued at over N3.8 billion in street value.

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

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

He said on the same day, another suspect, 23-year-old Osazuwa Iyabor Michael, was arrested at Auchi Bypass, Benin City, 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.

Babafemi also disclosed that NDLEA operatives on Tuesday, September 29, arrested 47-year-old fugitive Idris Mohammed Kurra, six years after he jumped bail.

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

According to Babafemi, the suspect had been granted bail by the court in December 2020 but subsequently jumped bail and remained at large until his arrest.

Meanwhile, Babafemi said Commands and formations of the agency across the country sustained their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation activities in schools, worship centres, workplaces and communities during the past week.

Babafemi said NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd.), commended officers and men of the various commands for their professionalism and intelligence-driven approach to the successful operations.

He said Marwa urged the officers, as well as their colleagues across the country, to sustain the agency’s efforts against drug trafficking networks while continuing with its current balanced approach to drug control.