NDLEA seizes 2,100kg drugs, arrests 311

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it has seized 2,100 kilogrammes of assorted drugs and arrested 311 suspects in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) between January and June.

NDLEA Commander in the FCT, Mr Mohammed Malami, disclosed this in an interview with our reporter on Monday.

Malami listed the illicit drugs as cocaine, cracks, charlie and other substances such as ethanol, codeine and pentozocine injections.

He said that the injections were targeted at drug abusers, adding that various cannabis, ranging from skunk, loud, Arizona and Colorado were also seized during the period.

“We have also arrested 311 suspects during the period. A lot of them were counseled and released because they were not found with drugs but users of drugs.

“Of the suspects, 33 were convicted. We have arraigned more than 43 suspects in a Federal High Court, while others are being investigated.

“Also within the period, we have seized a lot of motorcycles and bicycles, particularly motorcycles used for door to door trafficking of drugs.

“We have also seized vehicles involved in the distributions of hard drugs,” he said.

Malami said that the agency recorded a major breakthrough during the period with the bursting of online drug trafficking.

He described the online drug trafficking as a copy cat crime, saying that they were crimes people saw and try to replicate in various other places.

“We have seized a lot of cookies, brownies and cakes that were mixed with substances — Arizona — and distributed at parties and clubs.

“I think that is a breakthrough for us by bursting such huge means of trafficking drugs. We will continue to do our part.

“Apart from bursting the online traffickers, we have discovered that even if these traffickers do not go online, they have their own personalised logistics — motorcycles — for hawking drugs within the FCT.