Customs, NDLEA, DSS sniffed out popular hard drugs in cylinder

BY EGUONO ODJEGBA

The illicit stimulants

Following credible intelligence, operatives of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and Department of State Service (DSS) have uncovered and seized some quantity of Captagon Pills, a hard drug concealed inside the cylinder of an imported machine tthat was landed at the Apapa Port, Lagos.

A statement by the NCS Public Relations Officer, Appa Command, DSC Abubaker Usman, said it took about a week of painful and meticulous efforts to identify the cylinder containing the illicit drugs, alongside deployment of sniffer dogs and their handlers.

Customs, NDLEA and DSS Apapa Command heads at the venue of the operation

According to Usman, hinted that operatives of the joint services are still busy trying to find out if there are more drugs hidden in the machine, said that the leadership of the command of the various services were fully involved in the operation, noting that such operations will be sustained to strengthen inter-agency synergy.

The statement said that whereas a suspected in connection with the drug deal was arrested, it further hinted that the long-term use of the drug leads can lead to adverse side effects. The statement reads: “The discovery, which was made in a joint operation by the three services that lasted for about a week following intelligence and painstaking dismantling of the machine, involved deployed service personnel and sniffer dogs.

“Comptroller Malanta Ibrahim Yusuf, Area Controller of Apapa Command, Mr. Samuel Bashir Gadzama, Commander of NDLEA in Apapa and Officer in charge of the DSS at the port were said to be at the fore of the week long operation.

Container laden with the substance

“Further dismantling of cylinders in machine is ongoing. The operation which involved heads of the three services will be sustained in the fight against all forms of smuggling and infractions. One suspect in connection with the seizure was arrested while further examination and counting are ongoing before more details will be unveiled.

“The long-term use of the drug leads to remarkable side effects. The most common of them are extreme depression, lethargy, sleep deprivation (insomnia), occasional palpitation, heart and blood vessel toxicity and malnutrition.

“It has been linked as one of the most notorious stimulant being taken by insurgents is the ISIS battle and other Middle East unrest.”

The statement indicated the after effects to include extreme depression, lethargy, sleep deprivation (insomnia), occasional palpitation, heart and blood vessel toxicity and malnutrition”, adding:

“Further dismantling of cylinders in the machine is ongoing. The operation which involved heads of the three services will be sustained in the fight against all forms of smuggling and infractions.”