Two arrested over attempt to smuggle tramadol worth N2.8m with ambulance at Apapa port

A 45-year-old ambulance driver, Michael Ajibade attached to Medbury medical company and his assistant, one Olatunde Emmanuel, have been arrested while attempting to smuggle N2.8 million worth of Tramadol out of the Lagos Port Complex.

It was also learnt that the suspects allegedly broke into an uncleared container from where several cartons of the illicit substance were removed.

Disclosing this to newsmen on Wednesday in Lagos, the Customs Area Controller, Apapa Area Command, Comptroller Abba Kura confirmed the arrest of the suspects and revealed that the ambulance carrying the ban substance was intercepted at the gate to the port by customs officers who were on duty.

Kura said that the ambulance was on top speed and with its siren blaring and that the driver was pretending to be on emergency call as at the time it was intercepted.

He said: “Those behind the failed attempt to bring in cartons of Tramadol are saboteurs with some internal collaborators. On Friday, July 12, 2019, at about 11 pm, my officers on routine surveillance intercepted an ambulance (Hyundai) with registration number LND 605 XW Lagos, suspected to be laden with offending articles of trade.

“Upon examination, the said ambulance was discovered to be carrying ten cartons of 225kg Tramadol tablets valued at N2, 814,139.00. Two suspects named: Michael Ajibola (driver), and Olatunde Emmanuel (escort) were arrested along with the ambulance. You will recall that the Federal Government through the National Agency for Food Drug and Control (NAFDAC) had banned the importation of Tramadol in excess.

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“Furthermore, an investigation into the source of the stolen tramadol revealed that the drugs were pilfered from an undeclared container. Physical examination further revealed that 211 cartons of the drugs were missing from the container. The duty paid value of these stolen drugs stands at N59,378,332.09,” he said.

The Controller further stated that while the customs is working round the clock to free the country of illicit goods, some recalcitrant and unpatriotic citizens are not relenting in their desperate urge to sabotage the efforts of officers.

In his confessional statement, the driver of the ambulance Michael Ajibade, said that he was offered the sum of N2000 to move the illicit substance out of the port.

He said: “It was one Yusuf who contracted me to move the items out of the port using my ambulance. I was at the car wash located inside the port when he approached me. He told me that it was cartons of soap and offered to pay me N2000. I saw it as an easy way to make quick money but I never knew that I will be caught. I beg the government to forgive me, I did it out of ignorance and with the urge to make ends meet.”

On his part, the escort who was also identified as Olatunde Emmanuel said that he is a dockworker and that he was offered the sum of N50,000 to follow the ambulance driver out of the gate.

“My job is to follow the ambulance driver so that he will not run away with the consignment. The owner met me at the car wash and offered to pay me N50,000. He told me that the content of the carton is soap. I was shocked when it turned out to be tramadol,” he said.