New Telegraph

NDLEA arrests ‘billionaire drug baron’ linked to Abba Kyari

a suspected billionaire drug baron, Chief Afam Mallinson Emmanuel Ukatu,

 

 

Taiwo Jimoh

 

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a billionaire drug baron allegedly behind the N3 billion Tramadol deal involving the embattled suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, Chief Afam Mallinson Emmanuel Ukatu.

The agency’s spokesperson, Mr. Femi Babafemi in a statement on Monday said after months of surveillance and evading arrest, Ukatu, who is Chairman of Mallinson Group of Companies, was eventually nabbed onboard a flight to Abuja at the MM2 terminal of the Lagos airport, Ikeja on Wednesday April 13.

Babafemi said investigations reveal he has been a major importer of large consignments of different brands and high dosages of Tramadol Hydrochloride, ranging from 120mg, 200mg, 225mg and 250mg, all of which are illicit. Ukatu owns pharmaceutical and plastic manufacturing companies, which he used as a cover to import illicit drugs into Nigeria. This is in addition to operating 103 bank accounts, most of which are used to launder money.

Ukatu came under watch last year after five cartons of Tramadol 225mg were seized from his staff on May 4, 2021 when he sent them to sell to undercover police officers (unknown to Ukatu) from the then Kyari-led IRT of the Nigeria Police, Ikeja Lagos.

The price of a carton of Tramadol was negotiated at N17 million each as against the then black market value that ranged between N18 million and N20 million a carton in Lagos.

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