Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) 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 last Saturday, 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.
