The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has recorded a major breakthrough after intercepting 10,000 pills of Captagon in Kwara State and arresting a suspected trafficker who excreted 45 wraps of cocaine in Oyo State.
This comes nearly five years after NDLEA made Africa’s first recorded interception of the dangerous stimulant at Apapa Port in Lagos.
Captagon is a highly addictive amphetamine known for causing euphoria, extended wakefulness and risky behaviour. It’s sale has also been linked to large criminal groups like the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) as a means of generating funds for weapons and combatants, and for use as a stimulant to keep them fighting
According to NDLEA, officers on patrol along Bode Saadu Road in Kwara State stopped a passenger trailer, during the search, operatives found 10 packs of Captagon containing 10,000 pills on a passenger identified as 33-year-old Nasiru Mu’azu.
Officials also recovered nine packets of Tapentadol 250mg from the suspect.
In another interdiction operation at the Bode Saadu patrol point, NDLEA officers on Friday 24th April intercepted a trailer marked RMY-70XA. A search of the truck led to the recovery of 155,900 capsules of tramadol; 6,000 ampuoles of tramadol injection; 3,000 tablets of Co- Codamol and 9,000 tablets of Bromazepam, concealed in a false compartment constructed under the trailer.
A 24-year-old suspect Aminu Isah has been taken into custody in connection with the seizure.
In Oyo State, NDLEA operatives stopped a commercial bus at Akinyele along the Ibadan/Oyo Expressway while it was travelling to Sokoto.
One passenger, identified as 33-year-old Eze Prince Emeka, was taken for a body scan after officers became suspicious in which the scan confirmed drug ingestion.
The suspect was placed under observation and later excreted 45 pellets of cocaine weighing 1.043 kilograms.
Investigators said he chose to travel by road to avoid airport screening. He was allegedly planning to expel the cocaine in Sokoto, rest for a few days, then swallow the drugs again for transport through Algeria to Europe.
In Niger State, officers also intercepted 394 pieces of improvised explosive device (IED) components from a suspect identified as Mohammed Aliyu, 26.
NDLEA said the suspect was transporting the materials to Shadadi in Mariga Local Government Area. The case will be transferred to the relevant security agency for further investigation.
The NDLEA Chairman, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), praised officers involved in the nationwide operations.
He described the seizure of 10,000 Captagon pills in Kwara State as a major blow to criminal syndicates trying to reopen trafficking routes that had remained quiet since the landmark Apapa Port interception.