Tramadol packaged as Indomie seized from smugglers in Volta Region

Boxes of drugs including Tramadol, the popularly abused prescribed-only pain relief, which were being smuggled into the country from Togo, have been confiscated by officials of the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) in the Volta Region.

Concealed in empty boxes of Indomie noodles, the drugs were being smuggled through an unapproved route at a point referred to as ‘Kpoglo border’ near Ho, officials of the FDA told Onua FM Friday morning.

Speaking on Yen Nsempa on Friday, the Volta Regional Director of the FDA, Gordon Akurugu, said the driver of the bus in which the drugs were being transported was intercepted last Saturday. He has since been arrested.

He was carrying Indomie boxes which contained ten different brands of drugs, including Tramadol, he said.

The drugs, he said is worth about GHC100,000.

Mr. Akurugu observed these drugs are mostly smuggled through unapproved routes into the country.

The FDA, he said, has put in place good systems to monitor and pick intelligent information but urged the public to help by providing information on unapproved routes being used by smugglers.

Meanwhile, Mr. Akurugu said his outfit is also on the lookout for a cough syrup containing codeine which has been banned from Nigeria in order to prevent its entry into the country.