Nigerian Man Arrested at Lagos Airport with Over 14,000 Tramadol Pills Bound for Italy

During baggage scanning at the airport tarmac, NDLEA agents flagged his luggage, prompting a thorough search that led to the discovery of 14,410 pills of Tramadol 225mg and 200mg hidden inside winter jackets

A Nigerian man based in Italy, Edobor Ambrose Ali, has confessed to being recruited for an all-expenses-paid drug trafficking operation after being intercepted at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos, with over 14,000 tramadol pills hidden in winter jackets.

Ali was apprehended on Saturday, June 14, by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in collaboration with Aviation Security personnel of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN). He was attempting to board an Air France flight to Milan, Italy.

During a routine baggage scan at the airport tarmac, NDLEA agents flagged Ali's luggage for further inspection. A detailed search led to the discovery of 14,410 pills of Tramadol, in 225mg and 200mg dosages, carefully concealed within winter clothing.

In a confessional statement, Ali admitted he was recruited in Italy and sponsored on an all-expenses-paid trip to Nigeria to ferry the drug consignment to Milan. He said he was promised a payment of €2,000 for the job.

The NDLEA stated that this interception is part of its intensified campaign to dismantle international drug trafficking syndicates exploiting Nigerian airports for illicit courier activities.

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended the MMIA command and other supporting units for their vigilance and commitment. He also praised officers across the country for maintaining a strategic balance between drug supply reduction and demand reduction.