The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted more than 1.5 million pills of Tramadol concealed in two trucks that entered Nigeria through the Benin Republic border, intensifying its crackdown on drug trafficking syndicates operating across West Africa.
The seizure, described by the agency as a major breakthrough, comes less than a week after operatives uncovered 558,900 pills of Tramadol 250mg hidden in a specially constructed false-bottom compartment of a truck that arrived in Lagos from Togo through the Benin Republic.
NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, disclosed the latest operation in a statement shared on his official X handle on Sunday.
According to Babafemi, the two trucks were intercepted following credible intelligence, with traffickers using the same concealment technique and smuggling route previously uncovered by the agency.
He said the trucks, which originated from Togo and entered Nigeria through the Benin Republic, were carrying more than three times the quantity of Tramadol recovered from the earlier seizure. The illicit drugs were reportedly destined for northern parts of the country.
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Babafemi noted that the latest interception has dealt another significant blow to drug cartels, particularly after authorities tightened surveillance at the nation’s seaports, forcing traffickers to seek alternative land routes.
He added that the operation prevented what could have been a massive supply of the opioid to bandits and other criminal groups, describing the development as a major victory for public health, national security and efforts to protect Nigerian youths from drug abuse.
The NDLEA has continued to intensify intelligence-driven operations across the country’s borders as part of ongoing efforts to dismantle drug trafficking networks and curb the circulation of illicit substances nationwide.