Juliet Uduji
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted 1.6kg of Tramadol and Flunitrazepam at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja, just Days after international flights resumed.
The controlled drugs packed in two Ghana-Must-Go bags were said to be destined for Istanbul, Turkey.
Principal Staff Officer, Public Affairs of the agency, Jonah Achema, portrayed the development as unusual.
“The Command made the seizure from Michael Ejionye Chukwuka during the outward clearance of passengers boarding the Turkish Airline flight to Istanbul, Turkey,” he said in a statement yesterday in Abuja.
“The usual trend is the illegal importation of Tramadol from Pakistan and India into the country and not the exportation of the illicit Tramadol. 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 200,225,250mg which are above the 100 milligram threshold permissible for legitimate use.”
Chukwuka, 36, an indigene of Imo State, claimed to be ignorant of the content of the bags, saying he was given the bags at the airport entrance to deliver to a woman in Istanbul who deals in foodstuff.
“I don’t know the woman but Paul, her husband in Warri, gave the consignment to one man to bring to me at the airport,” he said.
The suspected drug trafficker who works in a cargo office in Istanbul had lived there together with Paul for many years. He travelled to Nigeria in March and got trapped by the Coronavirus pandemic during which period he became cash-strapped and had to reach out to friends to enable him validate his return ticket.