by The National Drug Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it has recovered over 13 million tramadol 225mg pills worth N8.86bn (Over USD20m) in street value from a ‘billionaire’s’ mansions in a highbrow residential estate, Victoria Garden City, Lekki area of Lagos.
According to NDLEA spokesman Femi Babafemi, the arrest of Ugochukwu Nsofor Chukwukadibia, the Chairman of Autonation Motors Ltd, comes barely two months after the agency discovered a methamphetamine laboratory in the residence of another alleged drug trafficker in the estate, Chris Emeka Nzewi, who was arrested on Saturday July 30, with a chemist, Sunday Ukah, who is accused of cooking the illicit drug for him.
During Nzewi’s arrest, at least 258 kilograms of crystal meth and various precursor chemicals used in the production of the toxic drug were recovered from his home, according to the statement.
Ugochukwu Nsofor Chukwukadibia’s mansion
A search of Chukwukadibia mansion yielded 443 cartons of Tramadol Hydrochloride 225mg, containing 13,451,466 pills of the drug, while other cartons were destroyed in a fire that occurred in the house the same day.
The agency has not commented the cause of the fire.
Mr Babafemi said prior to his arrest, Ugochukwu was on the Agency’s watch list as a member of the tramadol drug cartel in Nigeria,
He said preliminary investigation reveals that he owns six mansions in Victoria Garden City, one of which he uses to warehouse tramadol consignment, one of which he lives in at Plot Z-130 Road 67, and another which serves as his office.
5 vehicles were discovered in two of his mansions, with two SUVs, including a bullet-proof jeep, which has been removed to the NDLEA’s facility, he added.
Source: radionigeria
