The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) have intercepted 25 million pills of tapentadol and 350,000 bottles of codeine-based syrup at the Tincan Port Complex in Lagos
The seizure were made during the joint examinations of some containers in one of the port’s terminals.
The agency’s Spokesman, Femi Babafemi disclosed the seizures on Sunday in a statement, saying Tapentadol was three times stronger than tramadol.
He explained that the seizures were made on Tuesday, 17th and Friday, 20th September 2024, from three containers that had been on the watch list of the agency, following processed intelligence.
According to him, the NDLEA had requested for 100 per cent joint examination of the shipments with men of the Nigeria Customs Service and other security agencies.
Babafemi noted: “The 25 million pills of tapentadol have an estimated street value of thirteen billion, seven hundred and twenty-five million naira (N13,725,000,000.00) while the codeine consignment has an estimated street value of two billion, four hundred and fifty million naira (N2,450,000,000.00), bringing the total value of the seizures to fourteen billion, nine hundred and fifty million naira (N14,950,000,000.00).
“The tapentadol consignment packed in 500 cartons was discovered in one of the containers on Tuesday, 17th September, while another container examined the same day contained 175,000 bottles of Barcadin cough syrup with codeine packed in 875 cartons.
“The third container containing 175,000 bottles of CSC cough syrup with codeine was examined on Friday 20th September.”