By IBIRONKE ARIYO

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted a 36-year-old businessman, with 1,020 pills of tramadol 225mg and tapentadol 200mg, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), in Lagos

The agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Mr Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.

Babafemi said that the drugs were concealed in his luggage, while attempting to board a Royal Air-Maroc flight to Milan, Italy his base.

He said that the NDLEA operatives attached to terminal II departure hall of the MMIA, arrested the suspected drug trafficker on Dec. 18.

“The suspect claimed the successful trafficking of the opioids to Italy would have fetched him 200 euros from the person he was to deliver them to, “he said.

Meanwhile, the anti-drug agency also disclosed that a 48-year-old Beninoise was on same date, also arrested by NDLEA officers.

He said that the suspect was arrested at the Seme border in Badagry, Lagos, while attempting to cross into Nigeria with 3,400 tablets of tramadol 225mg.

Again, he said that on Dec. 19, another suspect was arrested along the Okene-Lokoja highway, with 28.400kg skunk, a strain of cannabis and Colorado, a synthetic cannabis

He said that elsewhere in Oyo state, the NDLEA recovered 125,000 capsules of tramadol and 1,800 ampoules of pentazocine injection in a Toyota Hiace bus along Lagos-Ibadan expressway, on Dec. 19.

According to him, two suspects were arrested with 185.4 kg of skunk at Challenge motor park, in Ibadan, on Dec. 17.

“A total of 405kg skunk was seized when NDLEA operatives raided Owena/Ijesha forest in Osun state, where a suspect was nabbed on Friday, Dec. 19.

“Another suspect was arrested with 14,960 pills of tramadol 225mg at tollgate, along Abuja – Kaduna highway same day.

“The consignment of opioids was concealed in two kolanut sacks (huhun goro) coming from Abuja to Gusau, Zamfara state,”he said.

He noted that the NDLEA have continued the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) across all formations nationwide.

The NDLEA also stated that in the past week, it had carried out sensitisation activities in schools, worship centres, work places, communities, and other forums. (NAN)