The risky business of Tramadol

SINCE the official ban on Tramadol and similar drugs came into effect last year, the Nigeria Customs Service has stepped up its efforts to police the borders which appears to be yielding a modicum of success. Almost on a weekly basis, containers of Tramadol had been seized since then.

BREAKING: After 8-day siege, Dino Melaye now in police custody

Unfortunately, these harmful drugs are still finding ways into the country through areas that officials of customs in the know called ‹unmanned borders›. There are hundreds of such routes, Sunday Tribune was informed,  and those ‹businessmen› who ferry contrabands into the country know these unmanned borders very well.

It is through these illegal, unmanned routes that most of the drugs, according to investigation, get into the country to fuel the cravings of young people, including young women and ladies all over the country, especially in the northern parts of the country.

 

Security beef-up at borders

In recent times, particularly in the last quarter of last year, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) were very busy at the major borders in Lagos. On November 22, 2018, the Apapa Customs Command of the Nigerian Customs announced the seizure of 40 by 40 containers filled with Tramadol and other dangerous drugs at the Apapa ports. The drugs allegedly were  imported from India. Its value was put at N7.3 billion.

Still basking in the euphoria of that remarkable feat, the Tin-Can Customs Command of the NCS, the next day, also announced another seizure of 13 containers also from India, filled with Tramadol and other dangerous drugs worth N3.134 billion.

These seizures tell a story of how desperate the promoters and importers of dangerous drugs into the country have become, taking into consideration the face value of the seized drugs

Speaking with Sunday Tribune, a clearing agent at Seme border point, Chibuzor Alumona confirmed that the importers of the drugs were getting more daring probably as a result of the huge business the drugs has become in the country. Though he hailed the seizure of the dangerous drugs, he warned that recent happenings have shown that importers of the drug consignments would begin to focus more at other ports and border points aside Lagos that do not have the high security structure that Lagos has.

Alumona said nine 40 feet containers of Tramadol and other dangerous drugs were seized in Onne port in Rivers State.

“What should these tell our security agencies? It means these people (importers of Tramadol) are beginning to consider other ports as destination for their dangerous cargoes.

“With the seizure of 53 containers within two days in Lagos, the message the Customs has sent out is that Lagos is a no-go area. So when I read in the papers that another nine of such containers were seized in Onne port in Rivers State, I simply told myself that these people are looking at other entry routes. I just hope our security agencies are very well prepared at other entry routes like what we have at the Lagos ports,”  he stated.

Indeed, a 40ft container of Tramadol and other controlled drugs with duty paid value of N3.06 billion was seized by customs at the Port Harcourt port. Mr Augustine Chidi, the Deputy Comptroller General of Customs in-charge of Enforcement, Investigation and Inspection, who announced the seizure in Port Harcourt, said the containers were falsely declared as containing PVC ball valves and general goods.

“You will recall that Nigerian Customs Service announced the seizure of 53 containers in Lagos. This brings to a total of 62 containers of controlled drugs so far seized within this month worth N13. 51 billion,’’ Chidi said.

The frequency of seizure and recalcitrance of the importers seem to suggest that the customs and indeed the Nigerian environment into which these drugs are dumped are in  for a very long battle. At a press briefing in Seme, Nigeria’s border town with Republic of Benin, the Customs Area Controller, Mohammed Uba Garba, managed to explain how tough this battle is for his men, considering the size of the country and inadequate manpower that the customs service is experiencing. Garba had said at the press briefing that if all the men and officers of the NCS and the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) were to line up along Nigeria’s territorial line, they won’t still be able to cover up the entire length and breadth of the country.

Though he made a feeble avowal of the Customs’ readiness to fight against importation of such importation of banned and dangerous drugs by cooperating with other security agencies, especially Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), which also oversees the movements of humans into the country,  Sunday Tribune was informed that the service already had enough on its plate with the spate of smuggling of food items into the country.

An official of the NIS who begged not to have his name in print because he was not authorized to speak, explained that the issue of understaffing  had been on the front burner for a while now, and that government had not deemed it necessary to respond to calls to increase the human capacity of the service. He expressed concern that some top officials in the services were also worried about the growing desperation of the importers of the dangerous drugs and the fact that the drugs were coming into the country through some routes.

 

“There is no doubt that we are understaffed. It has been over-reported in the news media, but nothing is happening. Thank God for the Customs which help us to intercept these banned consignments at times, otherwise the country would have been overwhelmed with these drugs.

“Despite the efforts of the Customs to complement our own job, these drugs still find their way into the country because there are many unmanned routes leading into the country. The owners of these dangerous consignments could start diverting their containers to Benin Republic and other neighbouring countries.

“If they start doing that, then we are in trouble because there are many routes leading into the country that are unmanned. Owners of these dangerous consignments could discharge them at neighbouring countries, and smuggle them in, in small quantities via these unmanned routes.

“The Customs are indeed trying. They have been wonderful so far, but how long will they keep helping the NIS? If we have our men stationed at these unmanned routes, we can serve as deterrence to importers of these dangerous cargoes. That these routes remain unmanned is an encouragement to these wicked people.

“I heard some Tramadol containers were seized at a port in Rivers State, who knows how many of such drugs have exited the border points and other ports yet to be in the news? If the importers of these hard drugs can target Onne, why won’t they target other less secured routes since they are suffering huge losses in Lagos?” he queried.

The officer, however, declined to mention the unmanned routes due to security reasons. Other Customs and Immigration officers spoken to were not forthcoming with their responses, as they considered it a security issue which they agreed that if kept under wraps would help to further track and nab those involved in the importation of the dangerous drugs into the country.

 

The business of Tramadol

Since there are still so many unmanned border routes across the country, the trade in Tramadol, though now more risky than before has continued to rise in tandem with the demand. From Lagos, Ogun, Enugu, Port Harcourt to Kano, Sokoto and Maiduguri, Tramadol is a booming business. According to Sunday Tribune findings, the cost of the drug has risen by as much as 300 per cent, just as the sellers alleged that the number of those buying from them is also on the increase in spite of its high price.

A regular user of Tramadol in Lagos who pleaded anonymity lamented the astronomical rise in the price. He told Sunday Tribune that; “in the past, we used to buy a tablet of 225 mg of Tramadol for N50, but now it is sold for N200. Even with your N200, it is now very difficult to get it; but the product is still in circulation. The sellers are afraid of being arrested by the police, so they are wary of you when you come.

“Most of the people who distribute Tramadol are women who buy from Lagos Island and sell to Aboki (Hausa) hawkers who sell aphrodisiacs and other products.”

The price, however, varies from one location to the other. It was gathered that in Kano, 100 grams of Tramadol is sold for N200; 200 grams is sold for N500, while 250 grams goes for N1,000.

A chemist in Kaduna who pleaded for anonymity remarked that, ‘I usually make substantial gain from selling the banned drugs .  The drugs are Tramadol, totalin, benalin and so on. Sometimes it is from the gains I made from selling the drugs, I feed my family and settle other things.

He said  a small bottle of Tramadol is sold between N1,500 and N1,200, while the big bottle is sold between  N3,000 to N4,000.

 

Tramadol… The code-names for supply

Despite the increase in price sellers of Tramadol are not taking things for granted. Sunday Tribune investigations show that only trusted customers are attended to by sellers of the drug to avoid being arrested. It was revealed that as soon as a buyer comes into a chemist where the drug is sold, coded names of the drug are used to gain access and to prevent other customers around from knowing what is being demanded. There are several of such coded names to choose from.

Some of them include Kaya, bani magani (meaning give me tablets or pills), daga ni (meaning drag me up). Other code names include Na zo (meaning I’m here) or bani kaya (meaning give me the goods).

The story is a little bit different in Ilorin and other parts of Kwara State where it is code named TM. Here, if an inquisitive person is hoping to find it in a chemist shop all the time, he might be totally wrong.

Investigations revealed that the drug is now being sold to users by people such as the ubiquitous hawkers of local herbs mixture, popularly known as paraga and even law enforcement agents including the local maiguard (security guards) selling groceries. Others engaged in selling the banned drug include provision store owners and the ordinary youth on the street.

If one is in Lagos, TM may not suffice as a code name. One may have to use an alternative code name such as ‘oja’ to assure the seller that one is real and an insider, to get the drug.

According to Sunday Tribune findings, the Trade Fair Complex, Ojo; Iddo and pharmaceutical product markets on Lagos Island are the hotspots for purchasing the drugs. From there the drugs are transported to inner city areas like Akala in Mushin and Akerele in Agege, among others.

A buyer who pleaded anonymity while speaking with Sunday Tribune revealed that sellers now ensure thorough censoring and screening of their customers to avoid being set up and trapped by security agents.

Sunday Tribune gathered further that while many pharmaceutical stores which used to sell the product have ceased from doing so, most of those who are still in the business are peddlers from the northern parts of the country who sell it one on one.

Another user, who gave his name as Stephen, also told Sunday Tribune that “sellers are now very careful about who they sell to. For example if you are their regular customer but you now go there one day with a friend of yours, they will pretend as if they don’ t know what you are talking about.”

With these devices put in place by traders and users of Tramadol, including the country’s unmanned and porous borders, the onus is on government to check the continuous inflow of not only Tramadol but other banned drugs. This seems an uphill task given the revelation that the Customs and immigration services are largely understaffed.

—Additional story by Kola Oyelere, Lekan Olabulo and Biola Azeez