It was a large seizure for the National For Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, as it intercepted no fewer than Two Million Seven Hundred and Fifty (2,750,000) tablets of Tramadol 225mg weighing 1,650 kilograms worth One Billion Three Hundred and Seventy Five Million Naira (N1,375, 000,000) at the Apapa port.
A statement signed by the Agency’s Spokeperson, Femi Babafemi says the consignment packed in 55 cartons of Tapentadol and Carisoprodol types of Tramadol was seized during examination of a container number SUDU 7538656 on Saturday 30th July.
He stated that this comes on the heels of similar efforts by anti-narcotic officers at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja that thwarted bids by drug traffickers to export various psychoactive substances to London, UK and Dubai, UAE through the Lagos airport.
Babafemi said at least, five suspects have so far been arrested in connection to the attempts.
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.
According to the statement, the suspect claimed that the bag was given to her by someone who 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 27.1kg concealed inside large quantity of crayfish going to London, UK as part of a consolidated cargo were seized at the SAHCO export shed,” added the statement.
Continuing, “Same day, a Dubai bound female passenger, Emebradu Precious Rachael, was arrested with 1.8kg cannabis packed inside bitter leaf in her luggage while attempting to board Rwanda Air flight to UAE via Kigali.”
It added that 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 foodstuff.”
