Drug Law Agency arrests drug kingpin, recovers 548,000 tramadol tablets
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a major drug kingpin, Okeke Chijioke, of number. 3, Atunya street, Maryland Estate, Nkwelle.in Oyi Local Government Area, Anambra State
Penpushing reports that, the agency’s Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi made this known in a statement on Sunday, adding that 548,000 tramadol tablets branded as “Tarkadol” were also recovered,
The Director, Media and Advocacy, said the drugs were seized at the warehouse of the alleged drug kingpin, following credible intelligence and surveillance,which confirmed he stocked his warehouse with the illicit drug.
Penpushing further reports that, Babafemi explained that after the search of the drug kingpin warehouse, 548,000 tablets of Tarkadol weighing 302.500 kilograms were recovered, adding that he has since owned up to the ownership of the dangerous drugs.
“The suspect accepted ownership of the substance recovered. Preliminary investigation has established that Tarkadol is a brand of Tramadol that has just been introduced into the market to evade attention’, he said.
“The substance has also tested positive to amphetamine. The drug was equally labeled 100mg pain reliever on its packs to avoid scrutiny, while laboratory tests confirmed it’s a 225mg drug’, Babafemi added.
“It was further discovered that the drug was manufactured in India and smuggled into Nigeria without NAFDAC number or certification.During the search on the warehouse, a double barrel pump gun with three live cartridges, which licence expired since 2019, was also discovered and recovered, ” he said.
The agency image maker explained that this was even as operatives of the Benue State command of the agency on road patrol in Apir village on 14th July intercepted and seized 28,400 capsules of tramadol from one Dankawu Madaki, who hails from Misah LGA, Bauchi State.
Penpushing also reports that, in similar development,, a notorious interstate drug dealer, Godiya Linus, based in Taraba, who supplied narcotics to dealers in Adamawa, had been arrested in Numan area of the state.
The Director, Media and Advocacy of the agency said the suspect, an ex-convict, was in jail between 2012 and 2018 following his conviction on drug related charges,adding that a drug dealer, Mohammed Ali, had earlier been arrested on July 10 with 1.150kg of diazepam in Numan.
“A follow up operation led to the arrest of Godiya who supplied Ali, while investigation has since revealed that he is based in Mayolope village in Lau local government area of Taraba. This was where he suppliedJambutu park in Yola and other parts of Numan, using an unregistered boxer motorcycle for distribution.
“Few days after Godiya’s arrest, another dealer, Emmanuel Ishiwu was nabbed with different quantities of tramadol, exol-5 and diazepam, totalling 6.103kg also in Numan on 14th July. This also was followed by the arrest of Muhammadu Garba and Shaibu Haruna with 48.500kg of cannabis in Gurin area of the state on Friday, 16th July 2021, ” he said.
Meanwhile, the Chairman,National Drug Law Agency( NDLEA) , Brigadier-General Buba Marwa(rtd) has commended the officers and men of the Anambra, Benue and Adamawa state Commands for sustaining the offensive in the ongoing efforts to mop up illicit drugs from every parts of the country and, charged them to remain unrelenting in the discharge of their duties.
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