The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted about 12 cartons of tramadol 225mg containing 599,900 pills weighing 385.40kg.

This is contained in a statement by the NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, on Sunday in Abuja.

Mr Babafemi said the NDLEA operatives at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos, on Tuesday, January 23, recovered the drugs.

He said the cartons from an overstayed cargo at the Skyway Aviation Handling Company (SAHCO) import shed of the airport were seized after a joint examination with other agencies.

According to him, the tramadol consignment had come into the country in two batches on KLM Royal Dutch Airline flights from Karachi, Pakistan, between July 27 and August 1, 2023.

“They were, however, placed under watch by NDLEA operatives since then,” said Mr Babafemi.

Meanwhile, at least 822 kilogrammes of cannabis sativa hidden in a fuel station in the Ashipa community along Badagry-Seme road were recovered by operatives of the Seme Special Area Command of NDLEA.

Mr Babafemi said a suspect, Sani Audu, 35, was arrested with 111.3kg of the same substance at Maigatari town in Jigawa on Tuesday, January 23.

In Yobe, two suspects, Mohammed Usman and Adamu Ma’azu, were arrested on Saturday, January 27, with 49 blocks of cannabis sativa weighing 50kg at Damaturu motor park, Damaturu.

Mr Babafemi said the duo of Paul Obor, 38, and Dennis Fuokorighe, 48, were arrested on Wednesday, January 24, at a Navy checkpoint, Itobe, Ofu Local Government Area of Kogi, with 318 compressed blocks of Indian hemp.

He said that the drug, weighing 190.8kg, was concealed in a gold colour Honda Accord Car marked RBC 449AE.

The NDLEA spokesperson added that they were handed over to the agency’s command in Kogi on Friday, January 26, by men of the Nigeria Navy Ship, Lugard, Lokoja.

(NAN)