By IBIRONKE ARIYO

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) said it seized large consignments of illicit drugs between September and early October in seven states of the federation.

The agency’s Director, Media and Advocacy, Mr Femi Babafemi, who disclosed this in a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja, named the states as Lagos, Taraba, Kano, Kaduna, Edo, Cross River and Ondo.

Giving a breakdown, Babafemi said that NDLEA operatives at the Import Shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja Lagos intercepted a consignment of nine cartons from Pakistan aboard a Royal Air Maroc flight.

He said that the cargo was placed under watch on arrival on Sept. 29, adding that a joint examination of the shipment on Oct. 6 uncovered 354,000 tablets of Tapentadol 250mg weighing 307.20kg.

“In another interdiction at the Lagos airport, a consolidated cargo from the United Kingdom was monitored after arriving on Sept. 29.

“Six Ghana-Must-Go bags were found to contain 70 parcels of Colorado, a synthetic cannabinoid weighing 75.90kg.

“A clearing agent was the first suspect to be arrested on Sept. 30. Thereafter, an Uber driver, was arrested while collecting one of the bags at a logistics company in Mafoluku area of Oshodi.

“This followed by a clothing trader, who came for the remaining five. The suspect said the drugs were sent by a UK-based associate, while the other suspect said his own consignments came from another UK-based man,”he said.

“Following surveillance, NDLEA officers raided Iyala Nkun village in Ikom Local Government Area (LGA) of Cross River on Oct. 4, leading to the arrest of a suspected drug offender,” he said.

According to Babafemi, the suspect was with 181 bags of cannabis sativa weighing 1,100kg and 17.15kg of cannabis seeds.

Babafemi explained that in Edo, NDLEA operatives intercepted a black Toyota Camry at Otuo, Owan East LGA, Oct. 5 conveying 1,049 blocks of compressed cannabis weighing 702.83kg, saying three suspect were arrested in connection with the seizure.

In another raid, he said a suspect was arrested at Asoro, off Sakponba Road, Benin City, the Edo capital with 989 grams of Loud, 13 grams of Colorado and 83 grams of methamphetamine.

Meanwhile, a 21-year-old suspect was trailed to her hideout in Shasha area of Akure, Ondo state where 29 bags of cannabis weighing 290kg were recovered by NDLEA operatives on Oct.5.

He explained that on the same day, a raid on an apartment at Oba-Ile, Akure, led to the arrest of a 42-year-old suspect with 35 bags of same psychoactive substance weighing 351kg.

In Taraba, NDLEA operatives supported by soldiers on Oct. 9 arrested two suspects at Chanchanji village, Wukari LGA, with 166,200 tablets of Tramadol 225mg weighing 107kg.

Similarly, Babafemi said that a stop-and-search operation by NDLEA officers along the Kano-Maiduguri road, Kano on Oct. 9 led to the arrest of another suspect with 24,990 capsules of Tramadol, 50,000 tablets of Diazepam and 22,000 tablets of Exol-5.

“Also, in Kaduna, NDLEA operatives on patrol along Zaria-Kaduna expressway arrested another suspect with 31 jumbo bags of skunk and 775 blocks of same substance with a combined weight of 1,027kg.

“Additionally, in Orile, Lagos, a suspect was arrested on Oct. 6 with 32.51kg of skunk and 52.65kg of its seeds, totalling 85.16kg.

In another development, assorted rifles and ammunition were recovered along with illicit drug by NDLEA operatives who raided the residence of a 45-year-old man at Rukuba Road, Jos, Plateau on Oct. 8.

“Seized from him include: 47grams of methamphetamine, two pump action rifles, one locally made gun, 199 live cartridges, five rounds of 7.62mm and one round of 9mm ammunition,” he said. (NAN)