The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested an Indian businessman, Gupta Ravi Kumar, alongside three Nigerian accomplices in connection with the interception of 2,248,000 tramadol pills valued at N3.9 billion at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.
The suspects — Ogunlana Noah Olanrewaju, Olushola Idrees Kayode, and Bakare Korede Muheeb — were linked to the consignment, which was disguised as multivitamins in 114 cartons. The shipment, imported from Delhi, India, arrived aboard an Ethiopian Airline flight on September 8.
According to a statement by the NDLEA’s Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi on Sunday, operatives placed the cargo under surveillance before swooping on a clearing agent and two drivers attempting to move it out of the airport in trucks on September 11.
A follow-up operation led to the arrest of Kumar the next day while he tried to take delivery of the consignment.
In a related operation, NDLEA officers at the airport arrested a passenger, Onyeganochi Stanley Ifeanyi, with 900 grams of cannabis concealed in crayfish while travelling to Doha on a Qatar Airline flight.
His confession led to the arrest of his accomplice, Ohadiegwu Anthony Uchenna, and further recovery of additional drugs from a hotel in Ajao Estate.
At the Tincan Port, a joint examination uncovered 161 parcels of Canadian Loud cannabis weighing 81.7kg, along with 1.2kg of hashish oil, concealed in a 40ft container of vehicle parts imported from Canada.
NDLEA further disclosed that two suspects were arrested.
Another 65kg consignment of Canadian Loud was later intercepted on the Lagos Third Mainland Bridge.
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In Lagos, two separate courier companies were used to ship methamphetamine concealed in a picture frame and cannabis hidden inside video decoders, both intercepted by operatives. A raid on a skuchies factory in Ikorodu also led to the seizure of 6,029 bottles of the psychoactive drink and 4,232kg of cannabis.
Elsewhere across the country, NDLEA operations resulted in several seizures and arrests, including a couple in Anambra who were arrested with 13.9kg methamphetamine and 5.3kg skunk.
Kano: 100,000 tramadol pills, 196 litres of Akuskura, and other substances recovered in multiple operations.
Oyo: Three female suspects arrested with 17kg skunk.
Abuja: Dispatch rider caught with cocaine and cannabis.
Yobe & Ogun: Major cannabis seizures and arrests of trans-border traffickers.
Edo: Over 16,000kg of cannabis destroyed in a large plantation raid.
NDLEA Reaffirms Commitment
NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended the officers across commands for their efforts, urging them to sustain the agency’s balanced approach to drug control — combining enforcement with sensitisation campaigns.
As part of its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) initiative, the agency also carried out sensitisation activities in schools, motor parks, mosques, and workplaces across several states in the past week.
