By Zahra Muhammad
ASHENEWS reports that the operatives of the National Drug Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA) have recovered 14,481,519 pills of Tramadol and bottles of codeine syrup worth over N13 billion in street value in three major busts of drug cartels operating in Amuwo Odofin, Idumota and the SAHCO shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja Lagos.
The Director, Media & Advocacy, Femi Babafemi disclosed this in a statement issued on Sunday.
Babafemi said that the three intelligence-led operations began with the raid of House 8/10 Hon. Wahuha Avenue, Divine Estate, Ago Palace area of Amuwo Odofin on Sunday 29th October, where 490,000 pills of tramadol and 81,519 bottles of codeine syrup measuring 4,510,000mls were recovered.
“In a similar operation on Tuesday 31st October, NDLEA operatives swooped on a secret warehouse operated by a billionaire Idumota trader, Nwaoha Anayo located at Onitire, Aguda area of Surulere where 12,700,000) pills of tramadol were recovered.
“In the same vein, at least six members of a syndicate using their official cover to facilitate the smuggling of illicit drugs through the Skyway Aviation Handling Company (SAHCO) warehouse at the Lagos airport into the country have been arrested and 1,210,000 pills of tramadol seized from them in a painstaking operation that lasted for weeks.
“The six suspects already in NDLEA custody include: Oladele Sanya-Olu; Lawal Itunu Temitope; Sanamo Alla Daniel; Udeh Felix Monday; Musa Mutalib and Unege Evans Icibor, while three other suspects: Sarki Mubarak Salami; Abdullahi Aliyu (aka Aboki); and Monday Anwal, are now on the run and wanted by NDLEA,” the statement said.
The statement added that NDLEA operatives on Sunday 29th October intercepted another businessman, 50-year-old Nwokolo Ifeanyi Anthony at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, NAIA, Abuja, during the outward clearance of Air France flight AF 878 to Amsterdam, Netherlands via Paris, France at the boarding gate and was body scanned.
“The result turned out to be positive for illicit drug ingestion.
“The suspect who travelled from Lagos to board the flight was subsequently kept under observation for some days during which he excreted a total of 86 pellets of heroin weighing 1.330kilograms.”
