(Christopher Oji)
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested 63 suspects and seized drug weighing 485 kilogramme between January and June this year.
The Agency also said suspected drug barons abandoned 336.090kgs of drugs.
Chairman/Chief Executive Officer NDLA Mustapha Abdallah, Yesterday, gave the statistic at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Ikeja,Lagos said, ” the Agency reacted swiftly to new tactics of drug trafficking by intercepting 22.530kgs of drugs originating from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. As an intelligence-driven Agency, we realised the sudden use of Dubai as a transit point for cocaine originating from South America and successfully arrested 13 suspects with 22.530kgs of cocaine coming from Dubai”.
The airport commander, Mr. Ahmadu Garba, who was directed by the NDLEA boss to give the breakdown of the arrest and seizure said, those arrested include 46 males and 17.
The drugs seized are Cocaine, 35kgs, Heroin 8.460kg, Methamphetamine 54.4kg, Ephedrine 6.120kg, Cannabis 5.470kg and Psychotropic substances 374.630kg.
According to him,20 suspects were nabbed attempting to export drugs 25 were caught importing drugs into the country.
He said, “18 suspects were apprehended during follow-up operations. 10 suspected traffickers were caught importing 7.695kgs of cocaine from Brazil while 13 other suspects were arrested with 22.530kgs of cocaine from Dubai. The three abandoned seizures include 25kgs of methamphetamine going to South Africa, 311kgs of tramadol originating from India and 0.090 grammes of cocaine from Brazil.
“In January 6.300kgs and 12 suspects. In February 54.760kgs and 10 suspects were seized and arrested while in March 39.485kgs and 13 suspects were seized and arrested. Also,in April 28.035kgs and 13 suspects, May 353.945kgs and 13 suspects while June is 1.585kgs and two suspects were seized and arrested.”