By; RAYMOND TEDUNJAYE, Lagos
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has continued to record monumental stride in the war against drug cartels, with the busting and recovery of large consignments from traffickers and peddlers.
Operatives of the agency reportedly intercepted a large consignment of Canadian Loud, an imported strong synthetic strain of cannabis, packaged in 324 bags with a gross weight of 111.2 kilograms in Onikan area of Lagos Island.
The drug was being conveyed for distribution in an unregistered Grand Caravan vehicle by a 42-year-old suspect, Taofeek Yusuf.
The Director, Media and Advocacy of NDLEA, Femi Babafemi made the disclosure in a statement made available to journalists today.
He hinted that the arrest of Taofeek and seizure of the imported consignment late on Friday January 12, 2024 following credible intelligence, came on the heels of the arrest of another drug trafficking suspect, Godwin ThankGod the previous day by NDLEA officers at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Ikeja Lagos.
According to him, the Milan, Italy-bound Godwin was intercepted while attempting to board a Royal Air Maroc flight with quantities of codeine-based syrup and rohypnol concealed in his luggage.
The suspect who is a regular flyer was arrested during a search of his luggage at the Departure Gate of Terminal 2 of the airport.
The search led to the discovery of five cartons consisting 50 bottles of codeine syrup and 300 tablets of rohypnol.
In the same vein, NDLEA operatives at the SAHCO import shed of the import on Friday January 12, recovered 30,000 packs of tramadol 225mg consisting 300,000 pills.
The consignment, which came from Karachi, Pakistan on KLM Royal Dutch Airline, with airway bill number 074-62674964, was taken into custody following a joint examination with other security agencies at the airport.
Meanwhile, various quantities of tramadol and cannabis sativa concealed in soles of sports canvas shoes going to Oman as well as another consignment of tramadol and rohypnol hidden in spices heading to the United Kingdom were intercepted at two courier firms in Lagos by NDLEA operatives of the Directorate of Operation and General Investigation (DOGI) on Tuesday January 9.
The statement further read:”Operatives in Oyo State on Thursday 11th January raided a clandestine skuchies factory operated by Oyadeji Dimeji, 28, in Moniya area of Ibadan where 76.6kg of cannabis sativa, 134 grams of tramadol, 93 grams of rophynol and 50 litres of already produced skuchies, a liquid mixture containing various types of psychoactive substances, were recovered.
“In Ondo state, four suspects: David Iyoragie, 34; Adams Idowu, 28; Ibrahim Audu Abdullahi,54; and Ayomide Henry Ayuba, 20, were arrested at De – Rock View Hotel, Gadson Junction off Ado- Ekiti Road, Igoba, Akure North LGA on Friday 12th January with 524.5kg cannabis. Another suspect, Aniekeme Eyibio, 26, was also nabbed at Ala forest, Akure North LGA where 293.5kg of the same psychoactive substance and a Dane gun were recovered from him.
“While 67-year-old Franklin Eze was arrested at Otuo, Owan East LGA, Edo state on Thursday 11th January with 454 blocks of cannabis weighing 311kg loaded in his Lexus salon car marked EBM 812 AA, Abdullahi Shuaibu, 43, was nabbed by NDLEA operatives on Tuesday 9th January at Ayangba, Dekina LGA Kogi state with 43 blocks of compressed cannabis, weighing 22kg and three pinches of methamphetamine.
“In Katsina state, a suspect, Danladi Adamu aged 24 was nabbed on Wednesday 10th Jan. with 25.5kg cannabis sativa during a buy and bust operation at Kurmi Primary School in Malumfashi metropolis, while operatives in Gombe arrested Sulaiman Mohammed at Lapandimtai, Kaltungo, with 47 blocks of same substance weighing 30kg concealed in two sacks of groundnut”.
The anti-narcotic agency spokesperson further added that the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) advocacy campaign of the Agency continued in equal measure in schools, markets, worship places and others across the country in the past week.
Some of them include: WADA sensitization lecture for students and staff of Unity High School Senior, Abeokuta, Ogun State; King George College, Imeke, Badagry Lagos as well as students and staff of Yusuf Bala Usman College of Legal Studies, Daura, Katsina State.
Others are WADA sensitisation lecture for youths of Wamakko LGA, Sokoto State; WADA advocacy visits to the Emir of Hadejia, Alhaji Adamu Abubakar Maje, Jigawa State; and the Chief Judge of Borno State, Justice Kashim Zannah.
Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) commended the officers and men of the MMIA, Ondo, Edo, Oyo, Lagos, Kogi, Katsina and Gombe Commands as well as those of DOGI for the arrests and seizures of the past week.
He urged them and their compatriots across all formations of the Agency to maintain the offensive action tempo and strive to surpass previous records while maintaining a balance with their drug demand reduction efforts.
