*Intercepts N7.3bn Codeine Consignments, As Two Excrete
150 Cocaine Wraps In Lagos
*Destroys 18,632kg Cannabis In Edo Forest
*Recovers Tacoma Truck Loaded With Imported Loud
THE National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), on Sunday, June 30, said its operatives raided a ‘drug party’ in Abuja and arrested 60 suspects.
Its spokesman, Mr. Femi Babafemi, in a statement, said the suspects were apprehended at a party on Friday, June 28, dubbed, ‘Go hard or Go Home, Pick Your Poison.’
He stated that the suspects, comprising 25 males and 35 females, were arrested at an apartment in Sun City Estate in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), following credible intelligence about the drug party organised by one Stanley Ikechukwu, who was among those arrested at the venue.
“Six of the suspects- Victoria Adoga; Hamza Yari; Joanne Essein; Socchima Valentine; Jago Imole and Charles Indobuibisi, were arrested with different quantities of ecstasy and cannabis.
“The NDLEA Chairman, Brig-Gen. Buba Marwa (rtd), has directed that 20 of the suspects who tested negative to drugs be released unconditionally.
“Thirty-three others, who tested positive to illicit drugs were to be released on bail and will report at the FCT Command of the agency on Monday, July 1, to begin treatment and counselling,” he said.
In another development, he said four suspects- Endurance Okon, 24; Joseph Michael, 23; Ovoco Bright, 43, and Goday Abanum, 23- were arrested in a forest at Ugun, Igueben Local Council of Edo State.
“They were arrested on Saturday, June 29, when NDLEA operatives raided and destroyed 18,632.22 kilogrammes of cannabis on a 7.452 hectares of farmland,” he explained.
Babafemi added that no less than 40.32 kilogrammes of Loud, an imported strong strain of cannabis, were on Friday, June 28, recovered in a vehicle along Lekki-Ikoyi road after the driver jumped off the vehicle on observing that NDLEA operatives were on his trail.
Similarly, NDLEA operatives, on Saturday, June 29, also intercepted 6,125 cartons of codeine syrup, containing 1,050,000 bottles of the opioid, worth over N7.3billion in street value at the Port Harcourt Ports complex in Onne, Rivers State.
The seizure, in six containers, was the third of such in the past four weeks, following credible intelligence and tracking of the consignments from their port of departure by a special operations unit of the agency, which worked in partnership with the Port Harcourt Ports Command and other security agencies, including the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) for a 100 per cent joint examination of the targeted containers.
In related development, officers at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja in Lagos State, arrested two passengers travelling to Doha on a Qatar Airways flight at the screening point of Terminal 2 after they tested positive to ingestion of illicit substances on Friday, June 21.
The suspects- Aikhomoun Daniel (alias Oladapo Olanrewaju) and Ayigoro Waheed Omobolaji- were thereafter taken into observatory custody.
While Daniel excreted a total of 90 wraps of cocaine, weighing 1.022kg, in six excretions, Ayigoro discharged 60 wraps of the same Class A substance, with a total weight of 662 grammes in five excretions.
Further investigation revealed that Aikhomoun Daniel actually stole the identity of his late uncle, who was once based in Germany, a decision he claimed he took to get Schengen visa to enable him free access to Europe, while his real name is Oladapo Olanrewaju.
Also, at least 40.32 kilogrammes of Loud, an imported strong strain of cannabis, were on Friday, June 28, recovered in a black Toyota Tacoma truck along Lekki-Ikoyi road when the driver jumped off the vehicle after noticing that NDLEA operatives were on his trail.
