NDLEA arrests 330 drug traffickers

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Oyo State Command, said it arrested 330 drug traffickers and secured 48 convictions in the state last year.

The NDLEA Commander in the state, Dr Wale Ige disclosed this in a statement by the command’s Public Relations Officer, Mrs Mutiat Okuwobi, on Sunday in Ibadan.

Ige said the suspects comprising 297 males and 33 females were arrested for dealing in various drug offences such as cannabis Sativa, Tramadol, Diazepam, Rohypnol, Colorado, codeine, chocolate infused with codeine and other psychotropic substances.

Ige said 101 suspects were charged to court while 48 of them were convicted for various drug offences with jail terms ranging from six months to life imprisonment in the year under review.

Ige said the command recorded a total seizure of 3,543.96 kilograms of cannabis Sativa and other narcotic and psychotropic substances during the period under review.

He said the command recovered four locally fabricated pistols with seven cartridges, a black colour Toyota Sequoia with registration Number LAGOS MUS 553 with 608.40kg of Cannabis Sativa.

He said it also recovered a red Nissan Primera with registration number LAGOS FKJ 890 DZ seized alongside 85.90kg of Cannabis Sativa.

Ige said that the command destroyed 0.69 hectares of cannabis farm located at Olosun village in Akinyele Local Government Area of the state.

He said that the command’s sensitisation programmes were extended to over 164 schools and some private organisations in the year under review.

He called on the public to support and join hands with NDLEA in the state in ridding it of drug abuse and illicit trafficking.