The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says the ongoing investigation of a billionaire drug baron, Chief Afam Mallinson Ukatu, has led to the discovery of how the suspect imported into Nigeria two containers containing 1,284 cartons of tramadol with market value of over N22 billion.
The NDLEA said the two containers were imported into the country in October 2019.
The anti-narcotic agency made this known via a statement issued by its spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, on Tuesday.
Babafemi stated that the statement became necessary 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.
Ukatu was arrested on board a flight to Abuja at the MM2 terminal of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos State on Wednesday, April 13, 2022.
He was arrested over his alleged involvement in the N3billion tramadol deal with the suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari-led Intelligence Response Team (IRT).
The NDLEA spokesman said: “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.
READ ALSO: NDLEA nabs drug baron behind N3bn Tramadol linked to Kyari
“Ukatu owns pharmaceutical and plastic manufacturing companies, which he used as a cover to import illicit drugs into Nigeria.”
Babafemi noted that in the course of investigating the N3 billion tramadol saga between Ukatu and the Abba Kyari’s IRT team, the NDLEA operatives uncovered 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. No doubt the suspect will soon have his day in court,” the NDLEA spokesman stated.
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