NDLEA busts ‘trans-border drug syndicate’, intercepts 190,960 pills of tramadol

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says its operatives have arrested four suspected members of a “trans-border drug cartel” in a string of operations. 

In a statement on Sunday, Femi Babafemi, NDLEA spokesperson, said the bust was carried out by agents attached to the agency’s directorate of intelligence.

He said the operatives acted on intelligence reports and intercepted a Sienna bus with plate number ABJ 452 HG along Nasarawa- Toto road in Keffi, Nasarawa,  at 6 am on January 27.

The vehicle was coming from Onitsha, Anambra, en route to Yola, Adamawa. Two suspects — Zahradeen Adamu and Abubakar Usman — were arrested in the car. Shortly, a second Sienna bus driven by Abba Usman, 48, was also intercepted.

Babafemi said “190,960 pills of tramadol” were discovered concealed in “specially constructed steel compartments” in both vehicles.

“Investigations revealed that an Onitsha, Anambra state-based dealer, Kingsley Mbaeri, was the supplier of the seized tramadol consignment,” the statement reads.

“A swift follow-up operation led to the arrest of Mbaeri at his Uga Street, Onitsha home on 29th January. Two vehicles, a Toyota Corolla car marked FGG 948 MF, and a Toyota Sienna bus marked GWA 23 HH, were recovered from his house.”

In another bust, NDLEA operatives at Apapa port in Lagos intercepted 85,400 bottles of codeine-based syrup in a container imported from India on February 11.

“In Cross River state, NDLEA officers on patrol along Ogoja -Abakaliki road, Yahe, on Thursday 13^th February, intercepted 170,000 pills of tramadol in a truck driven by Paul Chukwudi, 31,” the statement reads.

“In another interdiction, operatives of the Intelligence Department intercepted a commercial bus coming from Onitsha, Anambra State at Abaji checkpoint, FCT Abuja on 4^th February.

“A passenger in the bus, Chimezie Henry Ojingwa, 32, carrying motor spare parts in a black bag was arrested. When his bag was searched, 404.47grams of methamphetamine; 506.49grams of Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis and 262.32grams of dimethyl sulfone, a precursor substance for mixing meth, all of which were concealed in the motor parts were recovered.

“Two suspects: Halilu Isa and Gambo Umaru were nabbed at Bama road, Maiduguri, Borno state on Friday 14th February with 60 compressed blocks of skunk, a strain of cannabis, weighing 72kg, while NDLEA operatives in Ekiti state on Tuesday 11^th February raided a notorious drug joint at Iloda street, Ikole-Ekiti where they arrested three suspects: Bala Muhammed, 57; Yahaya Adamu, 55, and Abdullahi Shehu, 30. A total of 83 kilograms of skunk were recovered from them.”