Mirian Gom 
ABUJA, Nigeria — The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it has intercepted more than 1.3 million pills and capsules of tramadol and other opioids, alongside about 6,000kg of cannabis, in operations across eight states and the Federal Capital Territory.
In a statement on Sunday, the agency valued the seized drugs at more than N3.4 billion. The operations covered Lagos, Edo, Niger, Delta, Ondo, Gombe, Imo and the FCT.
One of the biggest seizures involved 1,200 parcels of Canadian Loud weighing 603.75kg and valued by the agency at N1.81 billion.
NDLEA operatives intercepted the consignment at the Tin-Can Island Port in Lagos after it arrived from Montreal, Canada, on September 12.
A joint examination with the Nigeria Customs Service and other security agencies on September 16 uncovered the drugs concealed in 31 black jumbo bags inside two Toyota Sienna vehicles packed in a 40-foot container.
In Delta State, NDLEA arrested a 49-year-old man accused of impersonating a senior police officer to evade checkpoints while transporting drugs.
The agency said 292.48kg of skunk was recovered from his Toyota Sienna bus along the Benin-Onitsha Expressway in Asaba.
NDLEA said preliminary investigations indicated that the suspect allegedly posed as a Deputy Superintendent of Police and used a forged police identification card to avoid scrutiny.
In Edo State, operatives raided an auto-repair workshop along Agbor Road, Benin City, where they arrested a 45-year-old suspect.
The agency said 48kg of Canadian Loud, 152 grams of methamphetamine and a metal box allegedly used to store illicit substances were recovered.
Two suspects were arrested along the Abaji-Abuja Highway on September 18 while allegedly transporting the drugs from Onitsha, Anambra State, to Mararaba, Nasarawa State.
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Hope Ajayi 
