The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has confiscated over 2.49 million tablets and capsules of tramadol valued at more than N2 billion on the Gombe-Bauchi Expressway, News About Nigeria reports.
The seizure, described as a major success in the fight against drug trafficking, was made public on Friday by the Gombe State Commander of the NDLEA, Okechukwu Nkere.
The interception occurred on September 13 at approximately 8:30 pm when NDLEA operatives stopped a truck, which was carrying bags of salt as a decoy.
The truck’s driver and a passenger were arrested on the spot.
Commander Nkere explained that the decision to search the vehicle was based on credible intelligence.
“Upon inspecting the truck on the morning of September 14, we discovered 146 cartons containing 2.19 million capsules of tramadol and 30 cartons with 300,000 tramadol tablets,” he said.
The operation, which is to prevent the distribution of illegal drugs, is still under investigation.
Nkere also stated that the seized drugs were intended for Gombe, with a potential extension to Borno.
“Only God knows the damage this would have caused to our youths,” he remarked.
The commander further noted that the truck lacked proper pharmaceutical documentation, such as a licence or waybill.
The drugs were concealed beneath the bags of salt to avoid detection.
In his address, Nkere praised the collaboration between security agencies, stressing that the drug war requires collective effort.
“This is not just an NDLEA fight but a battle for all of us. We must come together to tackle this hydra-headed monster,” he urged.
Abdullahi Bello, the Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, commended the NDLEA for the bust.
“This seizure is a strong message to those involved in illegal trade that the NDLEA is active and will not hesitate to take action,” Bello said.
