NDLEA Nabs Tramadol Smuggler at Abuja
Airport
An unusual drug trafficking trend has been uncovered by National
Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Nnamdi Azikiwe International
Airport Special Area Command.The Command has intercepted 1.6
kilograms of controlled drugs, suspected to be Tramadol and
Flunitrazepam which were destined for Istanbul, Turkey barely a few
days after the resumption of international flight. The Command made
the seizure from Michael Ejionye Chukwuka during the outward
clearance of passengers boarding the Turkish Airline flight to
Istanbul, Turkey.
2. The usual trend is the illegal importation of Tramadol from
Pakistan and India into the country and not the exportation of the
illicit Tramadol. The seizures are made up of 1.250 kilograms of
Tramadol and 350 grams of flunitrazepam and were concealed in two
Ghana-must-go bags. The Tramadol are in 200, 225, 250 milligrams
which are above the 100 milligram threshold permissible for
legitimate use anything above which is illegal.
3. Chukwuka, aged 36 and an indigene of Imo State claimed to be
ignorant of the content of the bags and that he was given the bags
at the Airport entrance in Abuja to deliver to a Nigerian woman who
deals in food stuff in Istanbul. “I don’t know the woman but Paul,
her husband in Warri gave the consignment to one man to bring to me
at the airport.”
4. The suspected drug trafficker who works in a Cargo Office in
Istanbul had lived there together with Paul for many years. He
travelled to Nigeria in March and got trapped by the Coronavirus
pandemic during which period, he equally became cash-strapped and
had to reach out to friends to enable him validate his
return-ticket.
5. According to Kabir Sani Tsakuwa, Commander, NDLEA Nnamdi
Azkiwe International Airport, the arrest and seizure coming less
than a week after the resumption of international flight at Abuja
International Airport is a clear indication that the drug
traffickers are desperate. “But we are equally determined. Most
importantly, we need to be extra-vigilant because smuggling
Tramadol to Turkey is strange, suggesting that there is an emerging
Tramadol market in some of these countries,” Tsakuwa noted.
Jonah Achema, ACN
Principal Staff Officer, Public Affairs