The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says an ongoing investigation of a suspected drug baron (name withheld) has led to the discovery of more than N22 billion worth of tramadol.
This is contained in a statement by the NDLEA director of media and advocacy, Femi Babafemi, on Tuesday.
Babafemi said the investigation led to how the suspect in October 2019 imported into Nigeria two containers, containing 1,284 cartons of tramadol with a market value of over N22 billion.
He said the statement was to counter insinuations by some hirelings that the NDLEA had no evidence to pin a crime on the suspect, widely believed to be the chair of a group of firms.
Read also: 2023: NDLEA wants political parties to screen aspirants for drugs
According to him, after months of surveillance, the suspect was eventually arrested on board a flight to Abuja at the MM2 terminal of the Lagos airport, Ikeja, on Wednesday, April 13.
“Investigations revealed that he is been a major importer of large consignments of different brands and high dosages of Tramadol Hydrochloride, ranging from 120mg, 200mg, 225mg, and 250mg, all of which are illicit.
“He (withheld) owns pharmaceutical and plastic manufacturing companies, which he used as a cover to import illicit drugs into Nigeria.
“The agency said in the course of investigating a N3 billion tramadol saga between the suspect and the Abba Kyari’s IRT team, its operatives have unearthed more evidence.
According to Babafemi, the suspect has been importing large quantities of tramadol far above the approved threshold allowed into Nigeria.
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