The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has recovered no less than 13,451,466 pills of tramadol 225mh worth N8,860,000,000 in street value in Lagos.

In a statement on Monday, NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, said operatives of the agency had also arrested the suspected drug baron, Chukwukadibia Ugochukwu, in connection to the recovered drugs.

Mr Babafemi said the operatives raided one of the mansions of the suspect in the highbrow residential estate, Victoria Garden City, Lekki area of Lagos.

He said the arrest of Mr Ugochukwu, the chairman of Autonation Motors Ltd, was coming barely two months after NDLEA uncovered a methamphetamine clandestine laboratory in the residence of another suspected drug kingpin in the estate, Chris Nzewi.

Mr Babafemi said Mr Nzewi was arrested on July 30, along with a patent medicine seller, Sunday Ukah, who was said to have cooked the illicit drug for him.

At least 258.74 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine and various precursor chemicals used for producing the toxic drug were recovered from Mr Nzewi’s home during his arrest.

Mr Babafemi said following credible intelligence, NDLEA operatives on Friday, September 30, stormed Plot A45 Road 2, home of the 52-year-old billionaire drug kingpin.

“A search of the expansive mansion led to the discovery of 443 cartons of Tramadol Hydrochloride 225mg.

“This was in a carton which contained 13,451,466 pills of the drug, while some cartons were already burnt in a fire incident in the house the same day,” he said.

Mr Babafemi said before his arrest, Mr Ugochukwu, who hails from the Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra, had been on the agency’s watch list.

The suspect, he said, was one of those behind the tramadol drug cartel in Nigeria.

“Preliminary investigation shows that he has about six mansions within the VGC.

“One of which he uses to warehouse the tramadol consignment, while he lives in the one at Plot Z-130 Road 67 and another as his office.

“Five exotic vehicles had also been located in two of his mansions, out of which two SUVs, including a bullet jeep, had been successfully removed to the agency’s facility, ” he said.

Reacting to the latest drug haul, the chairman, NDLEA, Buba Marwa, commended the officers and men involved in the operation for their diligence.

(NAN)