May 03, (THEWILL) – The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Tuesday, said it has discovered how suspected billionaire drug baron, Chief Afam Mallinson Ukatu, imported into Nigeria two containers containing 1,284 cartons of Tramadol.
The Agency in a statement issued on Tuesday by its Spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, said the drugs were imported in a single month, October 2019, with market value of over N22 billion.
Babafemi said the statement was to further “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.”
The statement explained that “after months of surveillance, Ukatu was eventually arrested onboard a flight to Abuja at the MM2 terminal of the Lagos airport, Ikeja, on Wednesday, 13th April.
“Investigations reveal he’s 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 Agency said in the course of investigating the N3 billion Tramadol saga between Ukatu and the Abba Kyari’s 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-container loads of five different brands of Tramadol in October 2019 through the Apapa ports in Lagos.
“All the evidence so far gathered shows that the imported Tramadol brands were far above the threshold permitted to be imported into Nigeria.
“No doubt the suspect will soon have his day in court.”
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