The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has said that the ongoing investigation of a billionaire drug baron, Chief Afam Mallinson Ukatu, has led to the discovery of two containers of Tramadol worth over N22billion in a single month.
The Agency said that, the suspect imported 1,284 cartons of Tramadol into Nigeria in the month of October 2019.
The Agency in a statement by the Director media and advocacy Mr Femi Babafemi said, it was imperative “to counter insinuations by some hirelings that NDLEA has no evidence to pin a crime on Ukatu, who is the Chairman/CEO of Mallinson Group of companies.”
According to the statement, “after months of surveillance, Ukatu was eventually arrested on board a flight to Abuja at the MM2 terminal of the Lagos airport, Ikeja on Wednesday 13th April.”
“Investigations reveal he has been a major importer of large consignments of different brands and high dosages of Tramadol Hydrochloride, ranging from 120mg, 200mg, 225mg and 250mg, all of which are illicit.”
“Ukatu owns pharmaceutical and plastic manufacturing companies, which he used as a cover to import illicit drugs into Nigeria.” The statement explained.
The Agency said in the course of investigating the N3billion Tramadol saga between Ukatu and the Abba Kyaris IRT team, its operatives have unearthed more evidences establishing how Ukatu has been importing large quantities of Tramadol far above the approved threshold allowed into the country.
In one instance, Ukatu through his Mallinson Group of companies imported into the country, two-conatiner loads of five different brands of Tramadol in October 2019 through the Apapa ports in Lagos.
“All the evidences so far gathered show that the imported Tramadol brands were far above the threshold permitted to be imported into Nigeria.”
The suspect has been charged to court.
Lateefah Ibrahim
