Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), and the Department of State Services (DSS) have seized a drug identified as one of the most notorious stimulants used by Islamic State terrorists and other violent insurgents in the Middle East.
The hard drug is called Captagon. It is commonly known as Fenethylline and is also known by the media as “The Amphetamine Fuelling Syria’s War” or “The Jihadists’ Drug”.
Captagon is used by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS or ISIL) and other extremist groups to enhance the capabilities of their soldiers, keep them awake for long periods of time, relieve pain, and induce a sense of euphoria.’
The Area Commander of Apapa Command, Comptroller Malanta Yusuf, revealed this in a statement signed by public relations officer Abubakar Usman in Lagos on Wednesday.
According to Yusuf, drug traffickers attempted to smuggle the drugs into the country by hiding them in an imported machine in the Apapa port in Lagos.
The crime was busted thanks to a joint operation involving the NCS, NDLEA, and DSS after dismantling the machine and deploying sniffer dogs for help.
“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.
“One suspect in connection with the seizure was arrested while further examination and counting are ongoing before more details will be released,” he said.
He said that long-term use of the drug leads to serious side effects; the most common are extreme depression, insomnia, lethargy, occasional palpitation, vascular toxicity, and malnutrition.
He pointed out that the drug has been identified as one of the most notorious stimulants used by ISIS fighters and other insurgents to cause unrest in the Middle East.
