NDLEA Partners Shippers ‘ Council To Curb Influx Of Tramadol Importation

On Jul 4, 2019

As part of effort to stop the smuggling of Tramadol and other illicit drugs into the country, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) said it would collaborate with the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) to curb the influx of such imports

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The Director in charge of seaports, NDLEA, Mrs Omolade Faboyede, said this when she led delegates from the agency to the headquarters of the council in Lagos on Thursday.

Faboyede said that the plan was to ensure a safer society stressing the need for all the stakeholders operating at the seaports to collaborate and stop the importation of illicit drugs into the country.

According to her, the large amount of drugs that come through the nation’s seaports has undermined national security as well as negatively affected individuals, families, and communities.

“We had a meeting in India over the issue. We agreed there that have to follow the effect of Tramadol back to the manufacturers.

“The milligrams of Tramadol allowed is between 50mg and 150mg per dosage, but what is being imported into the country is 225mg per dosage. “It is like a business now in Nigeria.

Faboyede said that recently there was a drink called Narcotics-tushy or Chapman popularly consumed by Nigerian youths.

She said that this was usually the combination of Tramadol, Benylin, Codeine, Cannabis, Blackcurrant, Cucumber, and Ethanol.

She said that when the youth consumed this mixture, it used to ravage them daily. The NDLEA boss said that unfortunately, those youths consuming the substance were supposed to be among the future leaders of the nation.

The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Mr. Hassan Bello, in his response, commended the team for deeming it fit to visit the council, which he said is the ports’ economic regulator.

Bello represented by the Director, Legal Services of the council, Mr. Samuel Vongtau, also commended the efforts of the NDLEA, especially, in the areas of arresting and prosecuting smugglers of drugs.

“Some of our youths are no longer productive; a lot of them have rendered themselves useless, and that is affecting the economy of the nation. “The Nigerian Shippers’ Council is ready to collaborate with you in the course of your operations at the ports.

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“We also have many areas that we can collaborate, such as Port Steering Committee which is working toward bringing efficiency and transparency at out ports.

“Bello also said that the NSC was about to implement the Cargo Tracking Note (CTN) which he said would simplify the NDLEA’s operations at the ports.

He said that when the CTN becomes operational, it would involve an open declaration of cargoes at the port of origin to ascertain their contents.

The E.S said the creation of the seaport operation is a welcome idea and strategic planning by the NDLEA. He said that with the taking-off of the office, the operations of the agency would be felt more by Nigerians.