NDLEA uncovers N22bn tramadol linked to drug baron, Ukatu

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 how he imported two containers containing 1,284 cartons of tramadol with a market value of over N22 billion into Nigeria in October, 2019.

Spokesman

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the

agency,

Femi Babafemi, on Tuesday in Abuja, said the revelation was to counter insinuations by hirelings that NDLEA had no evidence to pin a crime on Ukatu, who is the Chairman/CEO of Mallinson Group of Companies.

According to him, after months of surveillance, Ukatu was arrested on board a flight to Abuja at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, on Wednesday April 13.

Babafemei said, “Investigations reveal he has been a major importer of large consignments of different brands and high dosages of tramadol hydrochloride, ranging from 120mg to 250mg, all of which are illicit.

“Ukatu owns pharmaceutical and plastic manufacturing companies, which he uses as a cover to import illicit drugs into Nigeria.”

He further said operatives of the agency, in the course of investigating the N3bn tramadol saga between Ukatu and the Abba Kyariled IRT team, unearthed more evidences establishing how Ukatu had been importing large quantities of tramadol far above the approved threshold allowed into the country.

He said, “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.