The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Edo State Command, says it arrested 48 drug traffickers and seized 541.47 kilogrammes of narcotic drugs in May as part of its ongoing campaign against drug trafficking and abuse.
The Edo State Commander of the agency disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday, noting that the suspects were arrested during intelligence-led operations conducted at various drug hotspots across the state.
According to the command, the arrests comprised 25 males and 22 females, while the seizures included 540.6253kg of cannabis sativa, 0.2701kg of psychotropic substances such as tramadol, Swinol, diazepam and Rohypnol, 0.1415kg of methamphetamine and 1.4 litres of codeine syrup.
The commander said the command’s legal unit secured three convictions during the period, filed five new cases and currently has 94 pending cases before the Federal High Court in Benin City.
He identified one of the major seizures as a 27.3kg bag of cannabis sativa recovered from Lucky Omen. Other suspects were also arrested with varying quantities of cannabis, Loud, tramadol, Swinol, Colorado and methamphetamine.
The command further disclosed that operatives raided drug hotspots in Auchi, Etsako West Local Government Area, leading to the arrest of two traffickers and the recovery of additional narcotic substances.
In the area of drug demand reduction, the agency said it counselled 31 clients made up of 24 males and seven females, while eight others are currently undergoing rehabilitation.
The command also carried out five sensitisation programmes across the state, including the Benin City Teens and Youth Invasion programme, where participants were educated on the causes, effects and prevention of drug abuse.
The commander commended officers for their professionalism and vigilance, stating that the arrests and seizures demonstrate the command’s commitment to combating illicit drug activities in the state.
He added that investigations are ongoing and that the suspects will be charged to court upon conclusion of investigations.
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