NDLEA Arrests Anambra Drug Kingpin, Recovers 548,000 Tramadol Tablets

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According to a report by The PUNCH, the operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have arrested a first-class kingpin of illicit drug in Anambra, Chijioke Okeke and recovered 548,000 tablets of Tramadol.

The operatives of the NDLEA in Benue State on road patrol in Apir village on July 14 also intercepted and seized 28,400 capsules of tramadol from one Dankawu Madaki, who hails from Misah Local Government Area of Bauchi State.

The agency said the Tramadol branded as Tarkadol was recovered from Okeke’s warehouse at 3 Atunya street, Maryland Estate in Nkwelle, Oyi LGA.

The NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, said the arrest of 44-year-old Okeke on Saturday, July 10, 2021, followed “credible intelligence and surveillance, which confirmed he stocked his warehouse with the illicit drug.”

“After the search of his warehouse, 548,000 tablets of Tarkadol weighing 302.500 kilograms were recovered. The suspect accepted ownership of the substance recovered.

“Preliminary investigation has established that Tarkadol is a brand of Tramadol that has just been introduced into the market to evade attention. The substance has also tested positive for amphetamine.

“The drug was equally labelled 100mg pain reliever on its packs to avoid scrutiny, while laboratory tests confirmed it’s a 225mg drug. It was further discovered that the drug was manufactured in India and smuggled into Nigeria without NAFDAC number or certification. During the search on the warehouse, a double-barrel pump gun with three live cartridges and licence expired since 2019 was also discovered and recovered,” Babafemi said.

Meanwhile, a notorious interstate drug dealer, Godiya Linus, based in Taraba State but supplies narcotics to dealers in Adamawa State has been arrested in Numan Area of the state.

The NDLEA said, “Godiya, an ex-convict, was in jail between 2012 and 2018 following his conviction on drug-related charges. A drug dealer, Mohammed Ali had earlier been arrested on July 10 with 1.150kg of diazepam in Numan. A follow-up operation led to the arrest of Godiya who supplied Ali, while investigation has since revealed that he’s based in Mayolope Village in Lau LGA of Taraba, from where he supplies Jambutu Park in Yola and other parts of Numan, using an unregistered boxer motorcycle for distribution.

“Few days after Godiya’s arrest, another dealer, Emmanuel Ishiwu, was nabbed with different quantities of tramadol, exol-5 and diazepam, totalling 6.103kg also in Numan on 14th July, followed by the arrest of Muhammadu Garba and Shaibu Haruna with 48.500kg of cannabis in Gurin Area of the state on Friday, July 16, 2021.”

The Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended the officers and men of the Anambra, Benue and Adamawa commands for sustaining the offensive action in the ongoing efforts to mop up illicit drugs from every community in all parts of Nigeria.

He charged them to remain unrelenting in the discharge of their duties.