NDLEA Arrests Businessman for Smuggling Drugs in Mannequins

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted a novel smuggling attempt, arresting a 37-year-old businessman, Ani Romans, for concealing tramadol pills inside full-body mannequins.

The suspect was apprehended on Friday, January 9, along the Oron-Ibaka Road in Akwa Ibom State while allegedly transporting the clothing store dummies to Cameroon. A search revealed the mannequins were stuffed with 5.3 kilograms of tramadol. Romans, who claims residence in Cameroon, reportedly purchased the drugs in Onitsha, Anambra State.

In a separate operation in Akwa Ibom, NDLEA officers rearrested an 80-year-old ex-convict, Jeremiah Isaiah Nkanta, on Saturday, January 10. Nkanta, previously convicted and jailed for drug trafficking in 2022, was found in possession of 5.7kg of cannabis sativa (skunk) at his residence in Abak Local Government Area.

The agency also reported a series of other successful interdictions across multiple states, including Oyo, Edo, Niger, Taraba, and Adamawa.

These operations led to the seizure of substantial quantities of illicit drugs such as cannabis, tramadol, and synthetic strains like “Colorado” and “Loud,” alongside the arrest of several suspects and the recovery of cash and vehicles.