NDLEA foils try to smuggle opioids into Nigeria – Official

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has thwarted the attempt by an alleged cross-border human trafficker to smuggle 50,000 pills of tramadol 225mg from Ghana to Lagos.

This is contained in a statement by the Director of Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, on Sunday in Abuja.

Mr. Babafemi said the wiretapping came in another intelligence-led operation where officers from an NDLEA task force carried out the operation on Saturday.

He said the pills were hidden in the body compartments of a Toyota Hummer Bus belonging to GUO Transport Company, driven by the suspect.

He also said the vehicle was intercepted at the Ijanikin area of ​​the Lagos-Badagry expressway while coming from Ghana.

In another development, no less than 997kg of cannabis was recovered during raids in parts of Edo state in the past week.

Mr. Babafemi said 680kg of cannabis and a Sienna bus marked FST-320 AE were seized at a bush trail to Oghada forest in Oghada, Orhionmwan LGA of the state.

He said 180.5kg of the same drug was recovered from a suspect, Cecilia Ibe, 31, in Ofosu forest, Ovia South West LGA area of ​​the state.

He added that 136.5kg of the same substance was evacuated from a building in Otuo community, Owan East LGA of Edo on Thursday.

Meanwhile, one suspect, he said, was on Wednesday caught with 88.3kg of cannabis by NDLEA operatives on patrol along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.

Mr. Babafemi said personnel from the Kano Command of the agency on Friday arrested a 30-year-old man at Gadar Tamburawa, Kano-Zaria road, where they recovered 65,730 capsules of tramadol from him.

In Kwara, he also said NDLEA operatives arrested a suspect with 120.8kg of cannabis and some liters of codeine at Gaa Odota in Ilorin West LGA.

Mr. Babafemi said a suspected 42-year-old drug dealer was caught with 75kg of cannabis in Eziobodo, Owerri West LGA, Imo State on Thursday, November 14.

“A total of 563.74kg of the same psychoactive substance was recovered from a 60-year-old suspect following his arrest in Iyalode, Iyana church area of ​​Ibadan, Oyo State capital,” he said.

Mr. Babafemi quoted the NDLEA Chairman, Buba Marwa, in commending the officers and men from Oyo, Lagos, Imo, Kwara, Kano and Edo for the agency’s arrests and seizures.

Mr. Marwa stated that the operational successes of the agency and their compatriots across the country were appreciated.

(NAN)