The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has uncovered and dismantled a social media network used to distribute illicit substances packaged as imported Christmas cookies and snacks, with two masterminds arrested and taken into custody after a raid on their hideout in Lekki area of Lagos.

The drug syndicate, according to a statement by the Agency on Sunday, run by the duo of Deji Adesanya and Olubiyi Majekodunmi, had imported consignments of Canadian Loud, a strong strain of cannabis and a variety of colourful designer sachets with pictures and labels of cookies and snacks printed on them, and used to package the psychoactive substance in retail quantities.

Following credible intelligence about the activities of the syndicate which operates and distributes through a WhatsApp platform, NDLEA operatives on Saturday, raided their apartment at Ojulari street, Ikate area of Lekki, where a large quantity of the designer sachets and 5kilograms of Loud were recovered from them at the point of their arrest.

In another operation in Lagos on 27th November, NDLEA operatives arrested a 38-year-old drug kingpin, Philip Ucheka, while taking delivery of 110 pouches of Canadian Loud weighing 55.6kg at Ladipo area of Mushin. At the point of his arrest, three delivery vehicles were also seized from him.

At a courier company in Lagos, 100grams of Loud concealed in teddy bear imported from Thailand were intercepted on 27th November while a consignment of 548 capsules of tramadol hidden in bottles of Vitamin C and Magnesium going to the United Kingdom were recovered at another logistics firm the following day, 28th November.

In Oyo state, NDLEA officers on patrol along Lagos -Ibadan expressway on Saturday, nabbed a suspect, Wasiu Kareem with 8,000 ampoules of pentazocine injection, 590 bottles of codeine syrup; 1,500 pills of Co-codamol and 9,900 capsules of tramadol.

The statement said, no fewer than seven suspects were arrested on 24th November when NDLEA operatives raided the Ipe forest in Akoko South East area of Ondo State where they recovered 3,077 kilograms of skunk, a strain of cannabis. Those arrested include: John Ede; Ede Ndubuisi; Ikenna Abe; Eze Chukwuma; Maduabuchi Odo; Nnaji Chudubem and Gorge Okowor.

While Anthony Sylvester was arrested along Okene/Lokoja highway in Kogi State, conveying 649kg skunk in a truck on 26th November, NDLEA officers at the Seme Special Area Command on Friday, raided a warehouse at Ashipa, Seme border area of Badagry, Lagos where they arrested a suspect, Abubakar Shuaibu with 487 blocks of skunk weighing 243.5kg.

In Kano State, Tsalha Alasan was arrested along Zaria-Kano road with 137kg skunk on 24th November, while three suspects: Godspower Appeal, Ernest Upong and Godday Chukwudi were nabbed on 26th November with 322 blocks of skunk weighing 209kilograms at Fanshanu village, Toro LGA, Bauchi state. A black Toyota Highlander jeep marked ABJ 533 EA used in conveying the consignment was also recovered from them.

A suspect John Ekojo, was arrested with 210.15kg of skunk along Abuja/Jos highway on Saturday, while a couple: Abdullahi Abubakar and Jamila Abdullahi were nabbed along Abuja/Kaduna highway with 725 rounds of 7.62 mm live ammunition concealed in a sack of maize, just as another suspect, Awwal Sabiu was caught with 400 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition at Abuja/Kaduna tollgate on Friday.

With the same vigour, Commands and formations of the Agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization activities to schools, worship centres, work places and communities among others in the past week.

While commending the officers and men of the various Commands for the various successful operations, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig-Gen. Mohamed Marwa (rtd) enjoined them and their colleagues across the country to continue with the ongoing balanced approach to the drug control efforts of the Agency.
By Sunday Ejike
For Advert, Event Coverage/Press Conference Invite, Story/Article Publication & Other Media Services
Contact Us On WhatsApp
Send Email To: citizennewsng@gmail.com
Visit Citizen NewsNG To Read More Latest and Interesting News Across Nigeria and the World