NDLEA Arrests Indian Businessman, Three Others Over N3.9bn Tramadol at Lagos Airport

NDLEA Arrests Indian Businessman, Three Others Over N3.9bn Tramadol at Lagos Airport

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested an Indian businessman, Gupta Ravi Kumar, alongside three Nigerian accomplices, in connection with the seizure of 2,248,000 pills of tramadol valued at N3.99 billion at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.

The suspects — identified as Ogunlana Noah Olanrewaju, Olushola Idrees Kayode, and Bakare Korede Muheeb — were nabbed after NDLEA operatives intercepted the shipment disguised as multivitamins. The consignment, which arrived from Delhi, India, aboard an Ethiopian Airline flight on September 8, was packed in 114 cartons and placed under surveillance before the arrests were made.

A clearing agent and two truck drivers attempting to move the cargo out of the airport on September 11 were the first to be arrested. A follow-up operation the next day led to the capture of Kumar, who allegedly coordinated the illicit import.

In a related development, NDLEA operatives at the airport also intercepted a passenger, Onyeganochi Stanley Ifeanyi, with 900 grams of skunk hidden in crayfish as he attempted to board a Qatar Airways flight to Doha on September 7. His confession led to the arrest of his accomplice, Ohadiegwu Anthony Uchenna, who was traced to a hotel in Ajao Estate, where an additional 200 grams of the substance were recovered.

The Agency also recorded major seizures across the country during the week:

• Lagos: At Tincan Port, 161 parcels of Canadian Loud cannabis weighing 81.7kg and 1.2kg of hashish oil were recovered from a container of vehicle parts from Canada. Two suspects were arrested. Another 65kg of Loud was seized from a Toyota Sienna on Third Mainland Bridge, with the driver, Abubakar Ibrahim, in custody. In Ikorodu, a factory producing “skuchies” (a mix of cannabis and black currant drink) was busted, leading to the recovery of 6,029 bottles, 4,232kg of cannabis, and the arrest of factory manager Joy Awosika. In Mushin, operatives arrested Akeem Oriola with 26kg of skunk.

• Courier Intercepts: Shipments of methamphetamine concealed in a picture frame (for Gabon) and Loud hidden in decoder machines (for UAE) were seized at two courier firms.

• Abuja/FCT: A dispatch rider, Godsplan Vincent, 29, was caught with 50.7 grams of cocaine and 66 grams of Loud.

• Anambra: A couple, Nzube and Ebele Onyedika, were arrested in Obosi with 13.9kg of methamphetamine and 5.3kg of skunk. Another suspect, Nnamchi Tochukwu, was caught with meth, tramadol, swinol, heroin, and skunk.

• Kano: 100,000 tramadol pills were seized from Musa Shuaibu along Zaria–Kano road, while 196 litres of Akuskura were recovered from another suspect. Additional seizures of skunk, rubber solution, and “suck and die” substances were made in Kumbotso LGA.

• Yobe: Operatives arrested Mohammed Auwal with 22.1kg of cannabis in Potiskum.

• Ogun: Three trans-border traffickers were arrested with 394kg of skunk in Imeko, alongside three motorcycles used for smuggling.

• Edo: A 6.7-hectare cannabis plantation in Ovia South West LGA was destroyed, with 16,966kg of cannabis burnt and 1,176kg recovered. Four suspects were arrested.

• Oyo State: Three women were arrested in Oyo town with 17kg of skunk.

NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended officers across Lagos, Abuja, Kano, Edo, Anambra, Ogun, Yobe, and Oyo commands for the coordinated arrests and seizures. He urged them to sustain the Agency’s balanced approach of enforcement and drug abuse sensitization.

As part of its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) advocacy, the NDLEA also conducted sensitization programmes in Enugu, Oyo, Katsina, Niger, and Ogun states, targeting schools, motor parks, mosques, and community leaders.