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The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Sunday said it intercepted at least 1.760.46 million pills of Tramadol and other opioids concealed in noodle packs and others at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja Lagos and Gombe State.
It said it operatives at the import cargo shed, SAHCO seized over 600,000 pills of Tramadol 225mg imported from Karachi, Pakistan through Ethiopian Airlines in two shipments on Monday, December 12 and Tuesday, December 13.
A statement by NDLEA’s Director Media and Publicity, Femi Babafemi, said 5,960 pills of Rohypnol concealed in 60 packs of indomie noodles going to Johannesburg, South Africa, were also seized at the SAHCO export shed of the airport on Wednesday, December 14.
He said a female freight agent, Olaleye Adeola, had been arrested in connection with the noodles consignment.
Babafemi said the agency’s operatives in Lagos, Edo, Oyo, Bauchi, Kaduna and Delta States seized 5,460.34kgs of skunk.
According to him, a trader at Balogun Market in Lagos Island, Akunne Chibuzor Tochukwu, was arrested on Tuesday, December 13, over his alleged attempt to export a Tramadol consignment to Dubai, UAE.
He said Tochukwu’s arrest was executed by men of the Zone Two Police Command and NDLEA officials, adding that the consignment was seized at the Lagos Airport by anti-narcotic operatives.
“A market labourer, Oke Abosede Ronke whose services were requested to convey the drug for export had earlier been arrested.
“NDLEA operatives in Lagos on Sunday 11th December intercepted a truck and a bus conveying 113 jumbo bags of cannabis sativa weighing 4,802.84 kilograms around the VGC Estate area of Ajah while three suspects: Taofeek Yusuf; Ifeanyi Okorie and Israel Nwachukwu were arrested in connection with the seizures.
“In Gombe state, a total of 1,154,500 pills of Tramadol, Rohypnol and Exol being transported from Onitsha, Anambra State to Gombe by a truck driver, Umar Hassan, 28, were seized on Thursday 15th December, at Bye pass area of Gombe by a team of NDLEA officers following credible intelligence.
“Also acting on intelligence, operatives in Edo state on Friday 16th December intercepted a Honda Ridgeline pick-up vehicle with Reg No BWR699CV loaded with 29 bags of Cannabis Sativa weighing 319kgs.
“The driver of the vehicle, Alfred Vratombo, 32, was arrested with fake police uniforms, which he was using to deceive security men on the road.
“Attempt by a drug dealer, Chucks Kalu, 29, to smuggle into Kano 26kgs of cannabis concealed inside packs of blenders was thwarted by operatives who intercepted the consignment along Abuja-Kaduna express road and later arrested him in a follow up operation in Kano. “Another suspect, Rabilu Sa’ad Abubakar, 42, was also arrested in a follow up operation in Kano, following the seizure of his consignment 1,980 bottles of Cough syrup with codeine, concealed inside cartons along Abuja-Kaduna express road.
“In Bauchi state, operatives on Saturday 17th December arrested Muhammed Ahmed, 40, with 288 blocks of cannabis sativa weighing 244.5Kg in Darazo area of the state, while in Delta state, NDLEA officers stormed the home of a drug kingpin, Okrika Kingsley Ozioma, at Usiefurum town, Ughelli South LGA, where an underground drug bunk was uncovered in a three-bedroom bungalow owned by the suspect who is now on the run. “17.6kgs of C/S were recovered from the bunk in addition to a 2003 Silver Golf car with registration number Lagos KJA 572 AZ used for the distribution of drugs within and outside Warri.
“In Oyo state, a suspect, Yusuf Ayinde, 40, was arrested with 50.4kgs Cannabis in his residence at Idi-Ose via Amuloko, Ona-Ara LGA, on Saturday 17th December.
“While commending the officers and men of the MMIA, Lagos, Gombe, Edo, Delta, Kaduna and Oyo state commands for their commitment and vigilance leading to the arrests and seizures of the past week, Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) urged them and their compatriots across other formations to continue to surpass their past records of achievements.”
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