The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) operatives at Apapa seaport, Lagos, uncovered and seized 31,750,000 pills of 240mg Voltron, a controlled opioid concealed in a container and dismantled cross-border drug networks supplying illegal substances in Nigeria
According to a statement by the agency, the shipment, originating from India, was falsely labelled as diclofenac sodium tablets.
The statement reads: “Thirty-one million, Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand (31,750,000) pills of 240mg Voltron, a controlled opioid, packaged and concealed in a container imported from India, as diclofenac sodium 100mg tablets,”
The discovery was made during a joint inspection of the container with Customs Service officers and other security agencies.
The operation also resulted in the arrest of key cartel leaders and the seizure of drugs valued at billions of Naira.
“Intelligence gathered revealed that some psychoactive substances including tramadol were often sourced by Ibrahim Bawuro and Ibrahim Najib from a notorious drug dealer in Onitsha: Nelson Udechukwu Anayo and thereafter packed and concealed in vehicles in the premises of Ezeh Amaechi Martin, an associate of Udechukwu,” the agency stated.
This network, originating from Onitsha, Anambra State, has been identified as a key supplier of drugs to both Nigerian and Cameroonian terrorist factions.
Several high-impact operations were executed across states, leading to substantial drug seizures:
NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), praised officers nationwide for their dedication and teamwork.
Amid these operations, NDLEA continued its advocacy under the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) initiative. Throughout the week, NDLEA officers visited various educational institutions, workplaces, and traditional centers across states, including Park Royal College in Lagos, Ladigbolu Grammar School in Oyo, and Iman Secondary School in Sokoto to conduct sensitization lectures to raise awareness on the dangers of drug abuse.