Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have raided three illicit drug warehouses in Lagos, recovering opioids valued at about N16.9bn.
According to the agency, the intelligence-led operations targeted warehouses concealed within residential buildings in the Okota area of the state.
It said a total of 2,360,000 pills of high-potency tramadol (225mg) and 1,909,400 bottles of codeine syrup were seized during the coordinated raids.
The recovered substances were said to have a combined street value of N16,927,200,000.
The agency disclosed that the operations were carried out on April 17 at multiple locations within Park View Estate, Ago Palace, Okota.
It said that one of the warehouses was located at 98 Olukayode Awofisayo Street, while two others were found at 5 Charles Ndumetu Street within the same estate.
Items recovered included 19,094 cartons of codeine syrup and 34 cartons containing the tramadol pills.
In his reaction, the NDLEA Chairman, Mohamed Buba Marwa, described the operation as a major success against drug trafficking networks.
“The scale of this recovery, nearly 4.3 million units of lethal substances, is a testament to the fact that our officers are staying several steps ahead of these merchants of death,” he said.
Marwa added that uncovering such volumes in residential areas highlighted both the desperation of drug cartels and the effectiveness of the agency’s intelligence operations.
He warned that the agency would continue to pursue drug traffickers across the country.
“Let this be a clear signal to those who think they can profit from the destruction of our children’s futures: we will find you, we will dismantle your networks, and we will bring the full weight of the law upon you,” Marwa said.
