Indian, 3 Nigerians arrested over N3.99 Billion tramadol seizure

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested an Indian businessman, Gupta Ravi Kumar, and three Nigerian accomplices in connection with the seizure of 2,248,000 pills of tramadol worth N3.99 billion.

The tramadol, disguised as multi-vitamins in 114 cartons, arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos on an Ethiopian Airline flight from Delhi, India, on Monday, September 8, 2025 according to a statement issued by Femi Babafemi, NDLEA's Director of Media and Advocacy.

Following a surveillance operation, NDLEA officers intercepted a clearing agent and two drivers who were attempting to move the consignment out of the airport on Thursday, September 11.

A subsequent operation on Friday led to the arrest of Gupta Ravi Kumar as he was trying to take delivery of the shipment. The three Nigerian accomplices were identified as Ogunlana Noah Olanrewaju, Olushola Idrees Kayode, and Bakare Korede Muheeb.

In a separate incident at the MMIA on Sunday, September 7, NDLEA operatives intercepted a passenger, Onyeganochi Stanley Ifeanyi, who was scheduled to travel to Doha on a Qatar Airways flight. A search of his bag revealed 900 grams of skunk, a strain of cannabis, concealed within crayfish.

Onyeganochi, a first-time traveler, claimed that a Nigerian man based in Qatar, Ohadiegwu Anthony Uchenna, had given him the bag to take to Doha. His confession led to the arrest of Uchenna, who was still at the airport.

A search of Uchenna's hotel room in Ajao Estate uncovered an additional 200 grams of the substance. Uchenna reportedly confessed that he had intended to collect the bag from Onyeganochi in Doha if the latter had successfully evaded security checks.