THE National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it has intercepted no fewer than 2.75 million tablets of 225-milligramme tramadol, weighing 1,650 kilogrammes and worth N1.375 billion, at the Apapa port in Lagos.
The agency made this known in a statement released by its Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, on Sunday, July 31, 2022.
The agency disclosed that the drug, packed in 55 cartons of tapentadol and carisoprodol types of tramadol, was seized during an examination of a container number SUDU 7538656 on Saturday July 30, 2022 following credible intelligence.
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The statement added that the interception came on the heels of similar efforts by anti-narcotic officers at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, who thwarted bids by drug traffickers to export various psychoactive substances to London, the United Kingdom and Dubai in the United Arab Emirate, through the Lagos airport in the past one week.
The NDLEA said, at least, five suspects had so far been arrested in connection with the attempted drug offences.
The statement read, “On Monday 25th July, a Dubai, UAE bound passenger, Ms Ebhodaghei Gloria Osenemeshen, was intercepted during the outward clearance of travellers on Rwanda Air via Kigali to Dubai. Discovered in her luggage were sachets of tramadol 225mg concealed inside gari, a cassava product packed among other foodstuffs.
“She, however, claimed that the bag was given to her by someone she passed the night in his house before coming to the airport to help deliver to another person in Dubai.
“The following day, Tuesday 26th July, a total of 50 blocks of cannabis sativa with a total weight of 27 kilogrammes concealed inside large quantity of crayfish going to London, UK, as part of a consolidated cargo were seized at the SAHCO export shed.”
According to the anti-drug agency, on the same day, a Dubai-bound female passenger, Emebradu Precious Rachael, was arrested with 1.8kg of cannabis packed inside bitter leaf in her luggage while attempting to board a Rwanda Air flight to UAE via Kigali.
“The mother of one, who hails from Oghara in Ethiope West Local Government Area of Delta State, said she was into selling of men’s wears before she decided to travel to Dubai to expand her clothing business.
“She claimed her ex-boyfriend that lives in Dubai requested her to bring the bag, which contains the illicit substance, along with foodstuffs,” the statement added.
Similarly, operatives at the NAHCO import shed of the airport on Saturday July 30, 2022 evacuated cartons of khat leaf with a total weight of 51.50kg.
The consignment came in from Sierra Leone on a Royal Air Moroc flight.
A reporter with the ICIR
A Journalist with a niche for quality and a promoter of good governance