The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has recovered 548,000 tramadol tablets branded as “Tarkadol” at Nkwelle in the Oyi Local Government Area of Anambra State.
The Director of Media and Advocacy of the agency, Mr Femi Babafemi, made the disclosure in a statement in Abuja on Sunday.
Babafemi said the drugs were seized at the warehouse of a major drug kingpin, Mr Chijioke Okeke of No. 3, Atuanya Street, Maryland Estate, Nkwelle.
The spokesman said that Okeke’s arrest on July 10, followed credible intelligence and surveillance that confirmed that he stocked his warehouse with the illicit drug.
Babafemi said that after the search of the warehouse, 548,000 tablets of Tarkadol, weighing 302.500 kilograms were recovered.
“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.
“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.
“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 action gun with three live cartridges, which licence expired since 2019, was also discovered and recovered,” he said.
Babafemi said this was even as operatives of the Benue State command of the agency on road patrol in Apir village on July 14, intercepted and seized 28,400 capsules of tramadol from one Dankawu Madaki, who hails from Misah LGA of Bauchi State.
In a related development, a notorious interstate drug dealer, Linus Godiya, based in Taraba, who supplied narcotics to dealers in Adamawa had been arrested in Numan area of the state.
Babafemi said Godiya, an ex-convict, was in jail between 2012 and 2018, following his conviction on drug-related charges.
He said 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 supplied Jambutu 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, totaling 6.103kg also in Numan on July 14.
“This was followed by the arrest of Muhammadu Garba and Shaibu Haruna with 48.500 kg of cannabis in Gurin area of the state on July 16,” he said.
Babafemi quoted the NDLEA Chairman, retired Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa, as commending the officers and men of the Anambra, Benue and Adamawa States commands.
Marwa applauded them for sustaining the offensive in the ongoing efforts to mop up illicit drugs from every community in all parts of Nigeria, charging them to remain unrelenting in discharging their duties.
