The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has made significant arrests in Lagos, including an Indian businessman named Gupta Kumar and his three Nigerian associates involved in drug trafficking.
According to a statement from NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Mr. Femi Babafemi, the arrests were linked to a large shipment of tramadol, a powerful painkiller.
Authorities intercepted nearly 2.25 million pills valued at over N3.9 billion, which were hidden in boxes labeled as multi-vitamins.
The shipment arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport from Delhi, India, on September 8.
Officials had been watching the shipment closely and took action when two drivers attempted to transport drugs from the airport on September 11.
The following day, they arrested Gupta Kumar, while he was trying to claim the shipment.
In a separate case at the same airport, a passenger named Onyeganochi Ifeanyi was stopped before boarding a Qatar Airlines flight to Doha.
During a search, officers found 900 grams of cannabis hidden in crayfish in his bag.
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Onyeganochi, who was traveling for the first time, said a Nigerian in Qatar named Ohadiegwu Uchenna had given him the bag to take.
This led to Uchenna’s arrest right at the airport.
Further investigation revealed more cannabis in Uchenna’s hotel room, indicating that he had planned to retrieve the drugs from Onyeganochi if he had successfully passed through security.
NDLEA Chairman, retired Brigadier General Buba Marwa, praised the efforts of the officers involved in these operations and urged them to keep up their important work in combating drug trafficking throughout the country.
