Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, have intercepted three million capsules of opioids at Jaelith Bonded Container Terminal under Tincan seaport in the Apapa area of Lagos.

The seizure came a day after eight point six kilogrammes of cannabis were impounded in another operation in the city.

The street value of the drugs could not be immediately determined.

The agency’s Director Media, Advocacy, Femi Babafemi said in a statement, that the illicit drugs were intercepted at the port during an inspection on March seven.

“The seizure of 3,000,000 capsules of Tapentadol and Carisoprodol… followed a similar operation in which anti-narcotic officers of the agency also intercepted 8,613 kilogrammes of cannabis smuggled in from Ghana,” he said.

He said the capsule consignment was said to have originated from China and was falsely labelled as containing 271 packages of insulating fittings and industrial office printing machines.

But investigations revealed information on the bill of laden and shipping documents was fake and the shipment came from India.

He said some suspects had been arrested over the illegal shipments.

A senior Nigerian police officer, Abba Kyari, is currently facing charges for drug trafficking and his alleged links with an international drug cartel.

Though the consignment was said to have originated from Ningbo province in China and falsely labelled as containing 271 packages of “insulating fittings, faucet water closet (WC), industrial office printing machine.


“Investigations revealed that information on the bill of laden and shipping documents were fake.
“Further investigations uncovered that the container originated from India and arrived in Nigeria Apapa port on Feb. 10.


‘Findings showed that the Tramadol found and labelled as Tafrodol 120mg is actually Tapentadol, which is more dangerous and potent opioid than Tramadol.
It was also discovered that the container, SUDU 7774749 was consigned from India in Nhava Sheva port, then transloaded through Morocco and Ghana to Nigeria.
Meanwhile, based on credible intelligence, operatives of the Lagos Command of the Agency in the early hours of March 6 intercepted a consignment of Cannabis Sativa (Loud).
Babafemi said the consignment was weighing 8,613kg and smuggled from Ghana through the waterways to the Eko Atlantic Beach side, Victoria Island.
“Some drivers and their assistants: Adeyemi Bayioku, 31; Godwin Anya, 28; Yusuf Taofik, 20, and Adeniyi Adelaja, 19, who were on ground to load the shipment into their vehicles were promptly arrested.
“They were arrested with two trucks, a Siena space bus, Peugeot Boxer bus and a Toyota Camry car was also seized from them, ” he said.

Chairman/ Chief Executive of NDLEA, retired Brigadier-General Buba Marwa has commended the officers and men of the Tincan Port and Lagos Command of the agency for their vigilance and commitment to the mission to rid Nigeria of illicit drugs.

He also applauded the current synergy and working relationship between the agency and other law enforcement agencies in the country.