By The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested an Indian businessman, Gupta Ravi Kumar, and three Nigerian accomplices over the importation of 2,248,000 tramadol pills valued at N3.99 billion through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.
According to NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, the consignment which wasdisguised as multivitamins, arrived from Delhi, India, on an Ethiopian Airlines flight on Monday, September 8, 2025. The pills, packed in 114 cartons, were placed under surveillance before operatives intercepted a clearing agent and two drivers attempting to move the cargo in two trucks on Thursday, September 11.
“The tramadol shipment worth N3,990,000,000 in street value was imported from Delhi, India, disguised as multivitamins in 114 cartons, and arrived at the import shed of the Lagos airport on an Ethiopian Airlines flight on Monday, 8 September 2025,” Babafemi confirmed.
He added that a follow-up operation led to the arrest of Kumar when he showed up to take delivery of the cargo. The development comes as part of NDLEA’s nationwide clampdown on drug trafficking.
At the same airport, operatives intercepted Onyeganochi Stanley Ifeanyi, a passenger headed to Doha on Qatar Airways on September 7, after 900 grams of skunk were found hidden in crayfish. He later implicated Ohadiegwu Anthony Uchenna, a Qatar-based Nigerian who accompanied him to the airport. Uchenna was arrested immediately, and a search of his hotel room in Ajao Estate uncovered an additional 200 grams of the drug.
At Tincan Port, Lagos, a joint operation on September 9 led to the seizure of 81.7 kg of Canadian Loud and 1.2 kg of hashish oil from a container of vehicle spare parts imported from Montreal, Canada. Two suspects, John Ochigbo (53) and Okeke Kingsley (26), were taken into custody.
On September 11, another 65 kg of Canadian Loud tracked from the port was intercepted on Third Mainland Bridge inside a Toyota Sienna. The driver, Abubakar Ibrahim (42), was arrested.
In separate courier company operations, NDLEA recovered six grams of methamphetamine concealed in a picture frame bound for Gabon and 1.1 kg of Loud hidden in video players headed for the United Arab Emirates.
Elsewhere in Lagos, operatives stormed a factory in Ikorodu producing “skuchies,” a mix of cannabis and blackcurrant drink. Over 6,029 bottles of the psychoactive drink and 4,232 kg of cannabis were recovered, while factory manager Joy Awosika and another suspect, Akeem Oriola, were arrested.
In Abuja, a dispatch rider, Godsplan Vincent (29), was caught during a stop-and-search with 50.7 grams of cocaine and 66 grams of Loud.
In Oyo State, three women named Faidat Azeez (25), Alanu Fatimoh (40), and Mojeed Taiwo (25), were arrested with 17 kg of skunk.
In Kano, officers seized 100,000 tramadol pills from Musa Shuaibu (38), along with 196 litres of Akuskura from Abubakar Adamu (35) and 34.1 kg of skunk from Basiru Umar (18).
Anambra operatives arrested a couple, Nzube and Ebele Onyedika, with 13.9 kg of methamphetamine and 5.3 kg of skunk. Another suspect, Nnamchi Tochukwu (36), was caught with various drugs, including tramadol, swinol, heroin, and skunk.
In Yobe, Mohammed Auwal was arrested with 22.1 kg of cannabis sativa recovered from his residence, while a joint operation in Ogun State nabbed three traffickers which are Kunyadi Kunle Ogbungbun (24), Olalekan Adewale (20), and Sanya Joshua (22) with 394 kg of skunk in Imeko.
Meanwhile, in Edo State, NDLEA destroyed over 16.9 tonnes of cannabis on a 6.7-hectare farm in Ugbogyi Forest, Ovia South West LGA. They also recovered 1,176 kg of processed cannabis and arrested four suspects: Ebenezer Ewang, Oshore John, Emmanuel Monday, and David Sunday.
Commending the operatives, NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), urged officers nationwide to maintain the Agency’s “balanced approach” to drug control, combining enforcement with preventive measures.
