Drug Trafficking: NDLEA operatives intercept 143.8m tablets of tramadol, cocaine, others

*The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency says its operatives, in collaboration with other security agencies, uncovered the 225mg Tramadol in 720 cartons mixed with sweet candies during a joint examination of two containers from India

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

In continuation of the anti-narcotics regulator’s offensive against drug trafficking and substance abuse in Nigeria, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted 143.8 million tablets of Tramadol imported into Nigeria from India, weighing 10,386kg and mixed with cartons of sweet candies.

Mr. Femi Babafemi, Director of Media and Advocacy at NDLEA, who disclosed this development in a statement issued Sunday, April 2, 2023, said the drug of 225mg specification was intercepted in collaboration with other security agencies, especially the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) March 31.

Babafemi explained the regulatory agencies made the seizure during a joint examination of two containers marked TRHU 4758549 and TRHU 6936803, wherein they uncovered 225mg Tramadol in 720 cartons.

The Director stated the operatives of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigations of NDLEA also intercepted a cargo containing 1.5kg cocaine concealed in a carton declared to contain hair cream, shampoo, hair rollers and burners going to London, in the United Kingdom (UK) at a courier firm in Lagos.

Babafemi also noted the NDLEA operatives March 27, in Kaduna, also raided Dan Wata village, Soba Local Government Area, where certain Abdurrashid Musa, 33, was arrested with 142.8kg cannabis, while the principal suspect, Ibro Danwata, is still at large.

He said that another suspect, Shamsu Abdullahi (a.k.a. Waja), 35, was arrested the following day during a follow-up operation at Rigasa Kaduna after he had abandoned 80,000 tablets of Diazepam weighing 13.4kg and escaped arrest earlier.

Meanwhile, no less than 63 bags of cannabis sativa weighing 600kg stored in a house at Okpe village, in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of Edo State were recovered on March 31.

The NDLEA stated: “The recovery was made when operatives raided the area, while a raid of a warehouse owned by one Shehi Mallam at tomatoes market, Dei Dei, Abuja, same day led to the seizure of 80 sacks of cannabis sativa weighing 842.4 kilograms.

“In Cross River State, 12,000 pills of Tramadol 225mg were seized from a female passenger, Talatu Adamu, 46, when NDLEA officers intercepted the commercial bus she was travelling in along Ogoja/Katsina-Ala Road on March 27.

“Also, a suspect, Abraham Alaigwu, was arrested at Slaughter, Trans/Amadi area of Port Harcourt, Rivers State with 91.7kg of cannabis on March 30, while 228kg of the same substance was seized from Ayodele Osuya, 35, in a Toyota Camry car around Quarter Guard area of Akure, Ondo State.”