NDLEA Arrests 48 Suspected Drug Traffickers in Edo

The Edo State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has arrested 48 suspected drug traffickers. They also seized 541.47 kilogrammes of illegal drugs in May. This is part of their ongoing efforts to fight drug trafficking and abuse.

State Commander Mitchell Ofoyeju shared this news in a statement on Tuesday. He said the arrests and seizures were made through operations based on intelligence. These operations took place in known drug hotspots around the state.

Ofoyeju explained that the suspects include 25 males and 23 females caught during separate operations.

The breakdown of the drugs seized shows that Cannabis sativa made up most of the haul. A total of 540.6253kg of this was recovered. Other drugs seized include 0.2701kg of psychotropic substances like tramadol, Swinol, diazepam, and Rohypnol. They also seized 0.1415kg of methamphetamine and 1.4 litres of codeine syrup.

Ofoyeju said, "The NDLEA Edo State Command arrested 48 suspected drug traffickers in May. The arrests comprised 25 males and 23 females nabbed during intelligence-led operations at various drug flashpoints across the state."

He added that the command's legal unit secured three convictions during this time. They also filed five new cases in court. There are currently 94 drug-related cases pending before the Federal High Court in Benin City.

One of the major arrests was Lucky Omen, who had a large bag of cannabis sativa weighing 27.3kg. Another suspect, Joseph Osin, was caught with 743 grammes of Cannabis sativa. Prince Aniete was arrested with 373 grammes of loud, 11 grammes of tramadol, and three grammes of Swinol. Lastly, Esther Okes had 194 grammes of cannabis sativa in her possession.

Ofoyeju also mentioned that operatives raided drug hotspots in Auchi, Etsako West Local Government Area. They arrested two suspects, Abdulmalik Sunday, 30, and Abayomi Precious, 29.

Items found with Abayomi Precious included 238 grammes of Loud, three grammes of Colorado, 22 grammes of Tramadol (100mg), 23 grammes of Swinol, and two grammes of Rohypnol. Abdulmalik Sunday had 18 grammes of Loud, 58 grammes of Colorado, 14 grammes of Tramadol, five grammes of Swinol, and 53 grammes of methamphetamine.

On efforts to reduce drug demand, Ofoyeju said the command helped 31 clients, including 24 males and seven females. All of them were reunited with their families, while eight others are currently in rehabilitation.

He noted that the command also held five drug abuse sensitisation programmes in May. One of these was the Benin City Teens and Youth Invasion programme. Participants learned about the causes, effects, and prevention of drug abuse among youths.

The commander praised the officers of the agency for their hard work and professionalism. He said their success shows the command's commitment to removing illegal drugs from the state.

Ofoyeju stated, "These operations send a strong message to drug traffickers that Edo State is not a haven for their illegal trade. We will continue to intensify our raids and intelligence-led operations to catch those involved in the distribution and sale of narcotics."

He added that investigations are still ongoing and the suspects will be charged in court once the investigations are complete. Ofoyeju also urged the public, families, and institutions to keep supporting the agency with reliable information to strengthen the fight against drug trafficking and substance abuse in the state.