NDLEA: 40ft container loaded with tramadol uncovered in Lagos

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has uncovered another 40-foot container loaded with tramadol and other banned drugs at the Brawal terminal in Lagos.

This was disclosed in a statement issued on Wednesday by John Achema, the NDLEA head of public affairs.

According to the statement, Muhammad Abdallah, the NDLEA chairman, said the seizure followed a recent one made by the police of a 40-foot container loaded with cartons of brushes, tramadol and other banned drugs.

NAN reported that officers of the Apapa area command had intercepted a 40-foot container loaded with drugs suspected to be tramadol and codeine on August 6.

The container was intercepted offshore and taken to a bonded terminal in Apapa.

Abdallah noted that NDLEA’s investigation revealed another container, adding that this joint examination also revealed 255 cartons of different types of tramadol and other banned drugs.

“The NDLEA investigation further revealed that the tramadol was manufactured in Pakistan, which is a new discovery for the agency because previous tramadol seized were manufactured in India,” he was quoted to have said.

“I must say that this is of global interest. Drug trafficking is one of the vices fuelling insecurity across the country.”

The NDLEA chairman explained that the investigation was a major breakthrough for the agency, which revealed the new route for the movement of tramadol into Nigeria, which was from Pakistan via Europe (Hamburg) to Nigeria.

“And knowing that these tramadol were concealed behind boxes of brushes, it has called for more concern,” he added.

Abdallah said the NDLEA would do everything within its powers to get to the root of the drug trade and enjoined other security agencies to collaborate with the agency in its ongoing investigation.

He commended the police, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and other security agencies for their support on the case.