Mr Aliyu Sule, the Lagos State Commander of the agency, told newsmen in Lagos that the manner in which some pharmacists’ abused the procedure was alarming.
Sule said that although, the agency maintained a cordial relationship with the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), the manner in which some of its members flouted the procedure for selling controlled drugs left much to be desired.
He observed that some departmental stores operated a drug section without employing a pharmacist to take care of the section, giving room to dispense controlled drugs to people without prescription.
``Drug abuse simply means taking drugs without medical need; so panadol can be abused if taken without the need to take it medically,’’ Sule said.
The NDLEA commander explained that Rohypinol of (Flunitra-zepam family) and Methamphetamin, were in the class of controlled drugs which could only be administered by medical experts.
He said that the agency had the right to arrest, investigate and prosecute anybody found in possession of controlled drugs, if not prescribed by a medical expert.
``Amphetamin and Metamphetamin are new drugs, which are more destructive than cocaine, now coming into Nigeria.
``In fact, I have discovered two laboratories where Amphetamin is being manufactured in Lagos for high demand in Asian markets,’’ Sule said.
He said that the laboratory had been sealed off while the manufacturers were currently facing trial.
According to him, the command arrested 106 suspected drugs traffickers from January to date, with 42 of them successfully prosecuted.
It seized 1,517.5 kg of various drugs comprising 1,400kg of cannabis, 4.7kg of cocaine, 948g of heroin, 128.9kg of ephedrine and 10.8 kg of methamphetamin during the period, he said.
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