NDLEA Edo Reports 75 Arrests and 16.8 Tonnes of Drugs

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency’s Edo Command arrested 75 suspected drug traffickers in October and seized or destroyed about 16.8 tonnes of illicit substances, State Commander Mitchell Ofoyeju said. The reported arrests comprised 54 males and 21 females.

Ofoyeju said the command seized 2,496.12 kilograms of illicit substances and destroyed 14,322.05 kilograms of cannabis from eight farms covering about 5.73 hectares. The command also recovered 3.22 kilograms of psychotropic substances, 0.20 kilograms of methamphetamine, 35 cylinders of nitrous oxide, six cups of cannabis brownies and 4.1 litres of codeine syrup, according to his statement.

One of the reported seizures involved a black Toyota Camry intercepted at Otuo in Owan East Local Government Area. It carried 1,049 compressed blocks of cannabis weighing 702.83 kilograms, and three suspects were arrested in connection with the vehicle, Ofoyeju said.

The command’s destroyed cannabis farms were in Uzebba Forest, Ukhuise-Osi Community and Ugbada Forest in Owan West; Ugboshi Ele Forest in Akoko Edo; and Eco Camp in Illushi, Esan South East, according to the commander.

Ofoyeju said the command secured six convictions...