NDLEA arrests Indian businessman, three Nigerians over ‘N3.9bn tramadol consignment’ at Lagos airport

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested Gupta Ravi Kumar, an Indian businessman, and three Nigerian accomplices, over alleged connection with a consignment of tramadol worth N3.9 billion intercepted at the Lagos airport.

The three Nigerians are Ogunlana Noah Olanrewaju, Olushola Idrees Kayode and Bakare Korede Muheeb.

In a statement on Sunday, Femi Babafemi, NDLEA spokesperson, said the 2,248,000 pills of tramadol shipment was disguised as multi-vitamins in 114 cartons and arrived at the import shed of the Lagos airport on an Ethiopian Airline flight on September 8.

Babafemi said the NDLEA officials, who were monitoring the consignment, arrested a clearing agent and two drivers when they were trying to move the shipment out of the airport in two trucks on September 11.

The NDLEA spokesperson said the Indian businessman was arrested the following day while he was trying to take delivery of the consignment.

He disclosed that the tramadol consignment was imported from Delhi, India.

OTHER ARRESTS

Babafemi said NDLEA operatives arrested Onyeganochi Stanley Ifeanyi, a passenger on a Qatar Airline flight to Doha, with 900grams of skunk, a strain of cannabis concealed in crayfish, at the Lagos airport.

“As a first-time traveler, Onyeganochi claimed the bag was given to him to help take to Doha by a Qatar-based Nigerian Ohadiegwu Anthony Uchenna who actually followed him to the airport,” Babafemi said.

“His confession led to the arrest of Uchenna who was still within view.

“Operatives who later conducted a search of Uchenna’s hotel room in Ajao estate discovered additional 200grams of the same psychoactive substance.

“He claimed he was to return to Doha days later and pick the bag from the unsuspecting Onyeganochi if he had succeeded in escaping security checks.

“At the Tincan port in Lagos, a total of 161 parcels of Canadian Loud, a strain of cannabis weighing 81.7kg and 1.2kg hashish oil were recovered from a 40ft container of vehicle spare parts and used vehicles imported from Montreal Canada during a joint examination of the shipment on Tuesday 9th September.

“Two suspects: John Ochigbo, 53, and Okeke Kingsley, 26, have been taken into custody in connection with the seizure.”