By Adedapo Adesanya
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) over the weekend announced that it intercepted 100,000 bottles of codeine syrup with a total weight of 15,325 kilograms at the Onne seaport, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The substance, cough syrup with codeine (100 milligrams), packed in 500 cartons and concealed in a container marked MRKU 1565305, bearing imported food masks made in India, was discovered on Thursday, June 10, 2021, in a warehouse at the Onne port complex.
In a statement signed by the spokesperson of the agency, Mr Femi Babafemi, it was disclosed that the substance was discovered during a joint examination with officers of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), State Security Service (SSS), National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), among others.
“The seizure followed an intelligence received by NDLEA, as a result of which the container was put on hold and moved to the Customs Government warehouse within the port complex.
“No importer or agent has however come forward in respect of the container but efforts are ongoing to track the owner for further investigation and prosecution,” the statement read in part.
The agency also announced that its operatives at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, seized nine cartons of khat, weighing 146.95 kilograms at the cargo wing of the airport.
Khat is a stimulant drug used recreationally that speeds up the messages going between the brain and the body.
The consignment packaged as dried green tea was shipped from Addis Ababa, on board Ethiopian Airline flight ET911.
“After initial examination and suspicion, a clearing agent was asked to report with the consignee before the release but failed to do so for fear of arrest, a development that led to a laboratory test on the consignment, which tested positive to khat and the eventual seizure,” the statement added.
Giving his input, the NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Mr Mohammed Buba Marwa hailed the synergy among various government agencies at the Onne port and charged them not to rest on their oars as they daily work hard to keep Nigeria safe.
He commended the commander, officers, and men of the Port Harcourt Port Command and their Abuja airport Command counterparts for their vigilance and commitment to the task of ridding Nigeria of illicit drugs.
“The damage 100,000 bottles of codeine would have done to our youths if they had slipped through the port to our villages, towns, and cities is unimaginable. 146.95 kilograms of khat could have done the same damage if allowed to go into our streets.
“We’ll continue to motivate our officers and men so that they can give their best in the discharge of their responsibilities across the country and ultimately with the support of all our stakeholders and partners, we’ll win the battle against illicit drug trafficking and abuse,” Mr Marwa stated.
Aduragbemi Omiyale 
Business Post Contributor