The suspect was arrested while he was driving with 300 bottles of cough syrup in his car.
The Katsina State Police Command recovered N1.5 million worth of cough syrup containing codeine when officers intercepted and arrested a suspected drug trafficker on Tuesday, June 12, 2018.
The spokesman of the command, DSP Gambo Isah, disclosed that the suspect, identified as Nura Aliyu, was arrested in the state capital while driving a blue Honda Civic car loaded with 300 bottles of the drug.
He further disclosed that the suspect has already confessed to illegally distributing the drug to consumers and his drug syndicate.
DSP Isah said, "The Katsina State Police Command wishes to inform the general public that on 12/06/2018 at about 2100hrs, it succeeded in arresting a notorious suspect who specialised in drug trafficking.
"Police patrol team attached to CP's Surveillance Squad, Katsina, while on routine patrol along Senator Abba Ali Road by Mohd Dikko Stadium, Katsina, intercepted a Honda Civic with tinted glasses, loaded with 300 bottles of cough syrup suspected to be codeine, driven by one Nura Aliyu 'm' of Tsohuwar Tasha, Katsina.
"Suspect confessed to have been in the business of drug trafficking distributing to other members of his drug syndicate and consumers alike. Suspect will be arraigned in court immediately investigation is completed."
While addressing journalists, Aliyu said he was forced to join the trade so as to be able to provide for his two wives and five children.
War on codeine
In May 2018, the state government strongly condemned the activities of drug traffickers "in view of their negative consequences of destroying the future of our youths, who are the leaders of tomorrow."
This followed the airing of a BBC documentary that exposed how cough syrup with codeine is devastating the lives of Nigerian youths which had led to the federal government placing a ban on the use of codeine as an active agent in the production of cough syrup.