The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says its operatives have intercepted 2.8 million tablets of 225mg Tramadol with a street value of N1.4 billion at the Apapa Port, Lagos.
Femi Babafemi, director of media and advocacy, NDLEA, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.
According to Babafemi, the tablets packed in 55 cartons were seized during an examination of a container at the port on Saturday, July 30, 2022. He said the traffickers resorted to the seaport after their attempt to ferry the drugs through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja last week, was frustrated.
Babafemi explained that narcotics officers frustrated attempts by the traffickers to take the drugs to London and Dubai through the Lagos airport. Five suspects, he said, have so far been arrested in connection with the drugs.
In a similar development, a Dubai-bound passenger, Ebhodaghei Osenemeshen was intercepted during the outward clearance of travellers on Rwanda Air via Kigali to Dubai on Monday, July 25. NDLEA operatives, according to Babafemi, discovered in the suspect’s luggage sachets of 225mg Tramadol concealed inside garri, a cassava staple packed among other foodstuffs.
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“She claimed that the bag was given to her by someone in whose house she passed the night to help deliver to another person in Dubai.
“On Tuesday, July, 26, 50 blocks of Indian hemp weighing 27.1kg were seized at the Skyway Aviation Handling Company export shed.
“They were concealed inside large quantities of crayfish going to London,’’ he stated.
The NDLEA spokesperson added that another Dubai-bound female passenger, Rachael Emebradu, was arrested on the same day. She was arrested with 1.8kg of Indian hemp packed inside bitter leaf in her luggage while attempting to board Rwanda Air flight to UAE via Kigali.
The suspect, according to the NDLEA, claimed that she traded in men’s wear before she decided to travel to Dubai to expand her clothing business.
“She claimed that her ex-boyfriend that lives in Dubai, requested her to bring the bag, which contains the illicit substance along with foodstuffs,’’ Babafemi stated.
