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NDLEA seizes 3.2m tramadol pills, other drugs worth N5bn in Lagos

NDLEA seizes 3.2m tramadol pills, other drugs worth N5bn in Lagos

Drugs seized by the Operatives

 

Tramadol
By Ibironke Ariyo
Abuja, Jan. 15, 2023(NAN) The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has busted another Tramadol cartel in Lagos with the seizure of millions of opioids pills and bottles worth over N5 billion from a warehouse at the weekend.

The Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA Mr Femi Babafemi said this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.

Babafemi said that the drugs were intercepted in Amuwo Odofin area of Lagos State following an earlier arrest of two kingpins.

He said that the drug cartel was busted on Jan. 13 when operatives tracked and located a major warehouse for pharmaceutical opioids at No. 17, Sir Ben Onyeka street, off Ago palace way in Amuwo Odofin.

He said that the owner of the warehouse, Aloysius Okeke was also arrested.

Babafemi said that Illicit drugs recovered from the warehouse included three million, two hundred and sixty four thousand, six hundred and thirty pills of tramadol.

“Three thousand, four hundred and ninety bottles of codeine and nine hundred and fifteen thousand capsules of Pregabalin 300mg.

“This came on the heels of the arrest of a suspect, Olarenwaju Lawal Wahab who distributes for the cartel same day.

“Recovered from his white Mercedes distribution bus include: 14,690 bottles of codeine-based syrup.

“402,500 tablets of Tramadol 250mg; 50,000 tablets of Tramadol 225mg and 210,000 capsules of pregabalin 300mg,” he added.

Babafemi quoted the Chairman, NDLEA, retired Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa as commending the officers and men of Lagos Command for the arrests and seizures.

Marwa charged them and compatriots across the country to sustain the heat on drug cartels in Nigeria.

He also urged the operatives to balance their efforts on supply reduction with drug demand reduction initiatives. (NAN) (www.nannew.ng)

ICA/MZA

Editedby Maharazu Ahmed

Defence/Security

Brazilian returnee excretes 92 wraps of cocaine at Abuja airport

The suspect arrested by the NDLEA operatives
Cocaine
By Ibironke Ariyo
Abuja, Sept., 11, 2022 (NAN) A 53-year old Brazilian returnee, Okolie Nwabueze, has been arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA) Abuja by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for allegedly importing 92 wraps of cocaine.
This is even as Nwabueze, a father of two, ingested the drugs and eventually excreted them after days under observation in the Agency’s facility.
This is contained in a statement by the Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Mr Femi Babafemi on Sunday in Abuja.
Babafemi said that the suspect who hailed from Mmaku village, Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu State, was arrested on Sept. 2.
The arrest was upon his arrival on Qatar Airline flight enroute Brazil-Doha-Abuja.
The NDLEA spokesperson said that the suspect claimed to have left Nigeria to Mozambique in 2004 and finally relocated to Brazil in 2017.
This, he added, was where he obtained a residence permit before deciding to import the illicit substance for a $4,000 fee.
In the same vein, a 42-year old man, Aliyu Kwasare, was arrested at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, (MAKIA), Kano.
Babafemi said that the suspect was caught for attempting to export a consignment of new psychoactive substance, “Akuskura”, to Saudi Arabia.
He said that the suspect, an indigene of Kware LGA Sokoto, who lived in Goron Dutse area of Kano, was arrested on Sept. 5.
He said arrested during the outward clearance of passengers on Ethiopian Airline flight to Riyadh.
In another development, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Ikeja Lagos, no fewer than 1.099 million tablets of Tramadol (225mg) have been seized.
Babafemi said the drugs were intercepted through inter-agency collaboration between NDLEA and the Nigerian Customs.
“The pharmaceutical opioids packed in 50 cartons weighing 2,058.90kg, were imported from Pakistan via Addis-Ababa on Ethiopian Airways.
“The consignment was concealed among other non-controlled pharmaceuticals.
“Also, a freight agent, Aliyu Abubakar, was on Friday arrested at the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc (NAHCO) export shed of the airport.
“The arrest was over an attempt to export a consignment of cannabis concealed inside bottles of Caro white body lotion, ” he said.(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
ICA/IA
Edited by Idris Abdulrahman