As part of the country’s crackdown on unscrupulous importers of tramadol drug, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has disclosed that it has intercepted another 607 cartons containing 11, 785, 800 tablets loaded with tramadol in Lagos.
It explained that the interception and investigation were with the assistance and cooperation of the Customs Area Command, Apapa in line with the agency mandate to end illegal importation of tramadol into the country.
NDLEA Chairman, Muhammad Abdallah, said that the agency would do everything within its powers to get to the root of the drug trade and enjoined other security agencies to collaborate with the agency in its ongoing investigation.
Through a statement by the agency’s Head of Public Affairs, Jonah Achema, the NDLEA boss noted that the recent discovery of tramadol importation using the same route from Pakistan Asia – Hamburg, Europe – Nigeria showed the dynamic system of operation by the drug cartel to beat security operatives.
“This was discovered in another container number TCNU 9465832 belonging to the same suspect transferred to NDLEA by the Police.
“This is making it 3 containers used to carefully conceal illegally imported tramadol and other medicines to Nigeria. This discovery is a major breakthrough in the fight against illegal importation of tramadol into Nigeria,” the statement said.
It would be recalled that the Police detectives in Apapa Area Command of Lagos State had intercepted a 40-foot container laden with drugs suspected to be tramadol and codeine on Aug. 6.
Also, another 40-foot container of 255 cartons of different types of tramadol and other banned medicines was discovered after further investigation by the joint examination team on Aug. 19.
Being a controlled opioid that was introduced for the treatment of serious pain, and as a narcotic analgesic, tramadol works in the brain to change how the body feels and responds to pain, online health portal, WebMD, states.
But, following the epidemic use of tramadol and codeine in Nigeria, the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and other agencies have focused on the importation of the drugs in the country and how it is being distributed.
