In a statement by the NDLEA’s
Head of Public Affairs, Mr. Jonah Achema, he disclosed that Istanbul bound drugs were intercepted few days after resumption of international flights.
He disclosed the drug bearing passenger to be Mr Michael Chukwuka, which was seized during the outward clearance of passengers boarding the Turkish Airlines flight to Istanbul, Turkey.
NDLEA expressed surprise that it’s being the challenge of importation of Tramadol from Pakistan and India, and not exportation as is the case.
“The seizures are made up of 1.250 kilograms of Tramadol and 350 grams of flunitrazepam and were concealed in two Ghana-must-go bags.
“The Tramadol is in 200, 225, and 250 milligrams, respectively. These are above the 100-milligram threshold permissible for legitimate use and anything above is illegal.
Achema explained that Chukwuka, an indegene of Imo State, South East, Nigeria, claimed ignorance of the content of the bag which he said, was given to him for onward delivery to a foodstuff seller in Instabul, Turkey.
“He said he did not know the woman but one Mr Paul, her husband in Warri, gave the consignment to one man to bring to him at the airport,” Achema quoted him as saying.
Achema, however, said that the suspected drug trafficker who worked in a Cargo Office in Istanbul, had lived there together with Paul for many years.
He said that the suspect travelled to Nigeria in March and got trapped by the coronavirus pandemic during which period, he equally became cash-strapped and had to reach out to friends to enable him to validate his return-ticket.
The Commander, NDLEA, Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Mr Kabir Taskuwa, said that the arrest and seizure coming less than a week after the resumption of international flights at Abuja International Airport was a clear indication that the drug traffickers were desperate.
According to him, we are equally determined. Most importantly, we need to be extra-vigilant because smuggling Tramadol to Turkey was strange.
“This is suggesting that there is an emerging tramadol market in some of these countries,” Tsakuwa noted
