Seaport Terminal Operators Urged to Collaborate with NDLEA to Curb Drug Trafficking

Chinedu Eze

The Zonal Commander, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA) Zone H, Segun Oke, has stated that the seaport terminal operators are critical stakeholders in the fight against drug trafficking in the country.

Oke, who disclosed this yesterday in Lagos a during an engagement dialogue between Terminal owners and Operators with a focus on War Against Drug Abuse (WADA), said due to the volume of illicit drug that passes through the seaport, the collaboration became necessary.

He also stated that recently the agency intercepted 3 million opioid capsules of Tapentadol and Caprisoprodol 1,500kg at Lagos terminal on March 7, “that is why NDLEA is working towards having a cordial relationship with terminal operators to make the fight against drug war achievable.”

According to him, “Drug markets have swiftly resumed operation after the initial disruption at the onset of the pandemic; burst that has triggered or accelerated certain pre-existing trafficking dynamics across the global market. Among these are: increasingly larger shipments of illicit drugs, a rise in the frequency of overland and water-way routes used for trafficking, greater use of private planes for the purpose of drug trafficking, and an upsurge in the use of contactless methods to deliver drug end-consumers. The resilience of drug markets during the pandemic demonstrated traffickers’ ability to adapt quickly to change environments and circumstances. COVID-19 has triggered innovation and adaptation in drug prevention and treatment services through more flexible models of service delivery.”

In her remarks, the Director, Seaport Operations, Omolade Faboyede, said the countless seizures of tons of substances such as Colorado, Tramadol, Cough Syrup with codeine, Cocaine and Heroin at the seaport and the corresponding seizures at camps of terrorists and kidnappers explain why there is a national concern to addressing the drug menace.