Lagos – September 14, 2025
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested an Indian businessman, Gupta Ravi Kumar, alongside three Nigerian accomplices, following the interception of 2,248,000 tramadol pills at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
The consignment, concealed as multivitamins in 114 cartons, was shipped from Delhi, India, and arrived aboard an Ethiopian Airlines flight on September 8, 2025. According to NDLEA, the drugs, valued at ₦3.99 billion, were placed under surveillance before officers swooped in to stop a clearing agent and two drivers attempting to move the cargo on September 11.
“The tramadol shipment worth ₦3,990,000,000 in street value was disguised as multivitamins and imported from Delhi. A follow-up operation led to the arrest of Gupta when he attempted to take delivery,” said NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi in a Sunday statement.
The seizure is part of a nationwide crackdown in the past week. At the same airport, NDLEA also intercepted a passenger, Onyeganochi Stanley Ifeanyi, heading to Doha with 900 grams of skunk concealed in crayfish, and later arrested his alleged accomplice, Ohadiegwu Anthony Uchenna, after a raid uncovered more substances in his hotel room.
Other operations include:
Tincan Port, Lagos: 81.7kg of Canadian Loud and 1.2kg of hashish oil hidden in a container of spare parts.
Third Mainland Bridge, Lagos: 65kg of Canadian Loud tracked from the port and seized from a Toyota Sienna.
Courier firms in Lagos: Methamphetamine hidden in a picture frame and cannabis stuffed in video players.
Ikorodu, Lagos: Raid on a factory producing “skuchies,” with 6,029 bottles of the psychoactive drink and 4,232kg of cannabis seized.
Nationwide arrests: From Abuja, Kano, Oyo, Edo, Ogun, and Anambra States, suspects were nabbed with varying quantities of meth, skunk, tramadol, cocaine, and other illicit drugs.
In Edo State alone, NDLEA destroyed nearly 17 tonnes of cannabis on a farm in Ovia South West LGA and recovered 1,176kg of processed cannabis.
Commending the officers, NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), urged personnel nationwide to sustain the momentum in the fight against drug trafficking.
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