The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested 10 suspected online drug traffickers with 107 kilogrammes of cocaine in Abuja, authorities confirmed on Sunday.
In a statement, NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, said the arrest followed fresh raids in the nation’s capital, adding that a young lady and her boyfriend as well as eight others were apprehended, and assorted drugs recovered from them.
The first suspect, 28-year-old Ese Patrick, said to be selling her illicit substances through Instagram account; Ese’sOvenSecret, was tracked and arrested with some pieces of brownies ordered online by NDLEA’s undercover agents, on May 2 and delivered by herself and her boyfriend in a Mercedes Benz car.
“A follow up operation at her residence led to the seizure of 400 grams of Arizona weed, which she uses in baking the brownies,” the statement partly read.
“Further investigation led to the arrest of one Iyama Patrick, with 450 grams of Arizona weed. He supplies Ese the cannabis she uses.”
Similarly, a motorcycle belonging to a courier company, Sky Port was abandoned by a despatch rider in Wuse Zone 4 upon sighting NDLEA’s outpost in the area.
According to the NDLEA spokesman, the motorcycle was later found to contain several pinches of cocaine and some envelopes of Arizona meant for delivery.
In another raid, an online drug trafficker, Peter Nkejika was nabbed on May 24 following an arrest of a dispatch rider with some quantity of Loud, a highly psychoactive variant of cannabis. Each portion of Loud costs N30, 000 and the rider was caught with 17 portions for delivery.
NDLEA operatives had also on Tuesday intercepted two online drug transactions and arrested two dispatch riders with some quantities of cocaine and Loud already packaged for delivery recovered from them.
In all, five dispatch riders and a lady, Dolapo Benjamin who owns motorcycles involved in door-to-door distribution of drugs and drug based edibles; cakes and brownies were arrested while six dispatch motorcycles involved in door-to-door drug distribution were seized.
Also seized from them were assorted drugs; Cocaine, Crack/Challie, Molly/ Ecstasy, Skunk, Brownies and Loud, which is the most expensive psychoactive variant of cannabis in town.
“In a related development, on the 27th May 2021, operatives intercepted 30 compressed parcels of cannabis, heading to Ningi, Bauchi state, as well as Rohypnol and Tramadol meant for the FCT,” the statement added.
“The drugs weighing 105.5 kilograms were seized along Gwagwalada- Abuja road, in a luxury bus. Three persons were arrested in connection with the exhibits, while two more dispatch motorcycles were seized with some quantities of cocaine and cannabis on Saturday, May 29 as the raids across the FCT intensify.
“Meanwhile, operatives of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigations (DOGI) of the agency have intercepted 445 grams of Methamphetamine going to New Zealand and concealed inside USB chargers and hair attachments, with another 450 grams of cannabis sativa going to UAE and concealed inside local soap containers at a courier company in Lagos.
“In the same vein, 125 grams of heroin concealed inside academic thesis books was seized at another firm while 2kg of cannabis sativa hidden inside tractor’s balloon was intercepted at another courier company also in Lagos.”
While reacting to the arrests, NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive, Brig. General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) directed the FCT Command of the Agency to immediately embark on stop and search of commercial dispatch riders across the nation’s capital city to curb the online drug trafficking trend in the FCT.
He also commended the FCT Commander of the agency, Mohammed Malami Sokoto, his officers and men for the recent successes and sustaining the offensive against the latest trend in illicit drug trafficking in the nation’s seat of power.
The NDLEA boss also praised officers and men of DOGI for their vigilance and commitment to work.
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