By Metohuey Michael Adoglo
The Nigerian National Drug Law Enforcement Agency last Wednesday launched a string of operations against drug cartels across Nigeria which led to the arrest of a fleeing drug kingpin heading a syndicate operating at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, and six other members of his gang.
The agency noted that a professional methamphetamine cook and a lawyer were also arrested in Owerri, Imo State, and Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State, respectively.
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The drug enforcement agency, in a statement by its Head of Media and Publicity, Femi Babafemi, said the operations led to the seizure of drugs and cash from the culprits.
The statement read in part, “The Lagos airport drug syndicate was behind the smuggling of 1,584,000 tablets of tramadol seized on Tuesday, March 15, by NDLEA operatives in collaboration with aviation security and customs service personnel at the airport. The seizure includes 17 cartons of 250mg tramadol branded as ‘Tamra’ weighing 669.70kg, and five cartons of 225mg tramadol under the brand name, ‘Royal’ with a gross weight of 217.15kg.”
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The Agency noted that the psychotropic substance, which was imported into the country from Pakistan, was smuggled through the airport tarmac and intercepted at the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria Personnel Yard.
Two suspects: Ofijeh Mowa, a SAHCO driver, and Nyam Gazu Alex, a security guard with the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company, were initially arrested in connection with the seizure.
The methamphetamine cook, Reuben Bekweri, 34, was said to have been arrested in Owerri while trying to distribute a kilogramme of the illicit drug he cooked and packaged in seven nylon sachets in the Irete area of Imo State on Saturday, March 26.
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