By IBIRONKE ARIYO

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted N1.1billion worth of codeine consignment in Port Harcourt.

This is contained in a statement by the Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Mr Femi Babafemi on Sunday in Abuja.

Babafemi said that a total of 160,200 bottles of codeine-based syrup were discovered in a 40ft container on Thursday, Sept. 4.

This he said was during a joint examination of the shipment by NDLEA officers and men of Nigeria Customs and other security agencies at the West Africa Container Terminal (WACT) Port Harcourt Ports Complex, Onne, Rivers state.

“The container which has 220 cartons of ceramic sanitary wares used as cover for the codeine syrup was one of the shipments watch-listed.

“It was tracked by a special operations unit of NDLEA while the illicit consignment has an estimated street value of over N1.1 billion,” he said.

A Milan Italy-based Nigerian was on Friday, Sept. 5 arrested by NDLEA operatives at the departure hall of terminal 1 of the Lagos airport.

The NDLEA spokesman said the suspect was nabbed while attempting to board an Air France flight to Italy.

“He was found to have concealed a total of 24,480 pills of tramadol 100mg, 200mg and 225mg, which he claimed he was going to sell for 19,520 euros,” Babafemi said.

In Taraba, a total of 18,750 kg of skunk were destroyed on 7.5 hectares of cannabis plantations at Joro-Ade village, Ardo Kola, LGA on Tuesday, Sept. 2 with of the two farms were arrested during the operation.

“In the same vein, across the country, NDLEA Commands continued their War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, sensitisation lectures and advocacy visits to worship centres, workplaces, palaces of traditional rulers and communities all through the past week.

“Instances include: WADA sensitisation lecture to officers and men of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Lafia, Nasarawa state; ward heads in Kano Municipal Council, Kano state; and members of traditional medicine practitioners association, Awgu local government area, Anambra state.

“Also, the Kogi state strategic command of NDLEA paid a WADA advocacy visit to the Ohi of Ihima and Chairman Okehi LGA council of traditional rulers, HRH Alhaji Abdulraheem Ahmed Ogido, among others.” (NAN)