By Chinonye Anyatonwu.
The Apapa Customs Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and Department of State Service (DSS) yesterday uncovered and seized Captagon Pills, a hard drug concealed inside cylinder of an imported machine in Lagos.
According to a release issued by Apapa command Public Relations Officer, DSC A Usman, said that 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.
The security sources at the port said the seizure is a fallout of renewed synergy and cooperation aimed at curbing any form of port related lawlessness.
The Apapa Command Area Controller, Comptroller Malanta Ibrahim Yusuf, Mr Samuel Bashir Gadzama , Commander of NDLEA in Apapa and Officer in charge of the DSS at the port were said to be at fore of the week long operation.
However, further dismantling of cylinders in machine is still ongoing.
The operation which involved heads of the three services will be sustained in the fight against all forms of smuggling and infractions.
Compt. Yusuf stated that, “One suspect in connection with the seizure was arrested while further examination and counting are still 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.
