The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says its operatives have uncovered 43,980 capsules of tramadol concealed inside two vehicle fuel tanks, after trailing a suspected trafficker across several states.
According to the agency, the suspect bought the fuel tanks in Onitsha, Anambra State, not for use in a vehicle or for resale, but purely to conceal the illicit drugs.
NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, said the consignment passed through multiple security checkpoints undetected before operatives finally intercepted the suspect in the Wukari area of Taraba State.
Babafemi disclosed this in a statement and video posted on X on Sunday, describing the scheme as a deliberate attempt to evade security agencies through a specially modified means of transport.
He quoted the agency’s account of the suspect as someone who travelled solely to acquire tanks built for concealment rather than genuine vehicle use, stuffing tramadol capsules inside before moving them undetected from Anambra all the way to Taraba, where he was finally caught.
The NDLEA released footage showing officers dismantling the fuel tanks and pulling out the hidden capsules.
Babafemi said the operation reflects the increasingly sophisticated tactics drug trafficking networks are using to move prohibited substances across the country. The agency did not disclose the suspect’s identity or say whether more arrests had been made in connection with the seizure.
NDLEA has repeatedly flagged that traffickers are turning to more elaborate concealment methods — hiding narcotics in vehicle parts, food items, and household goods — to dodge detection.
Tramadol, an opioid painkiller, is classified as a controlled substance in Nigeria due to widespread abuse. Authorities have linked its illicit use to addiction, violent crime, and the activities of criminal groups operating in various parts of the country.
Investigations into the seizure are ongoing, with the NDLEA working to identify other members of the trafficking network behind the shipment.
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