In Six Months, NDLEA Seizes 19,703 Kg of Illicit Drugs in Apapa

Sunday Ehigiator

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the weekend disclosed that its Apapa Special Area Command seized a total of 19,703.25kg of assorted illicit drugs between January and June 2022,

NDLEA, a federal anti-drug enforcement agency, revealed that the same area command seized illicit drugs worth over N6 billion within seven days.

The Area Commander of the command, Mr. Ameh Inalegwu revealed this at a news conference he addressed ahead of the 2022 International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Drug Trafficking held yesterday.

Inalegwu explained that the command in collaboration with the Nigeria Customs Service recorded drug seizures worth more than N6 billion in six months.

He listed the seized drugs to include 1,518 kgs of Tafrodol (another brand of Tramadol) in 120 grams and Tramadol weighing 3,553 kg in 225 mg and 250 grams.

He said: “This is in addition to the seizures of 14,080 kg of cough syrup with codeine in January and another 40.25 kg of the same cough syrup with codeine in February and 12 kg of another cough syrup with codeine in March.

“The area command also recovered 350 grams of Cocaine and 150 gm of Heroin in March 2022. In summary, the Command recorded a total seizure of 19,703.25 kg of assorted illicit drugs between January and June 2022.”

On the 2022 International Day against Drug Abuse, Inalegwu said the command would embark on some activities that increased awareness and knowledge of the potential health, social and legal consequences of illicit drug use and provide accurate information on illicit drug habituation.

Inalegwu said: “We carried this out within the Port and the host communities of Apapa, Ijora and Amuwo-Odofin where the maritime operations are concentrated.

“In the next seven days, we will be reaching out to all categories of people within the communities. Starting with this press briefing, there was a walk against drugs through the streets of Apapa during the week.

“In deference to the faith-based approach, all the worship centres within the communities are being urged to devote their sermons to the consequences of drug use and illicit drug trafficking in the Juma’at and church services on Friday and Sunday within the week.

“These activities will be crowned with a grand finale town hall meeting which will bring in all stakeholders within the communities to chisel out workable mechanisms to keep drug merchants at bay and prevent drug use among the populace,” he noted.