The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has made a significant bust, intercepting a whopping 14.5 tons of ‘Ghanaian Loud’, a potent strain of Indian hemp, smuggled into Lagos from Ghana. The seizure, made in the Ojuelegba area of Lagos, was carried out in the early hours of Sunday, January 28.
Femi Babafemi, the agency’s spokesperson, revealed that the drugs were found loaded in two trucks and a J5 bus. Two of the drivers managed to flee the scene, but a 66-year-old driver was apprehended. Further investigation exposed the detained driver’s affiliation with a wanted drug baron based in Mushin, Lagos.
In the wake of the seizure, NDLEA operatives also arrested three suspects near a sealed warehouse in Idumota, Lagos, on February 1. The individuals had allegedly burgled the warehouse and were in the process of loading 546,700 pills of tramadol and other psychoactive drugs into two waiting vehicles.
The crackdown extended beyond Lagos with the arrest of a male deaf and dumb suspect in the Samaru area of Zaria, Kaduna State. In separate incidents, the agency also apprehended additional suspects in possession of significant quantities of Indian hemp and psychoactive substances.
Further operations led to the destruction of 833.32kg of Indian hemp on a farmland in Kabba-Bunu Local Government Area of Kogi and the arrest of the owner. Additionally, NDLEA operatives recovered substantial amounts of Indian hemp from various locations, including bush stores in Owo, Ondo State, and Uke, Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.
The agency’s persistent efforts highlight a commitment to curbing drug trafficking and illicit substance abuse across Nigeria. These recent operations underscore the widespread impact of the drug trade and the ongoing battle against narcotics in the region.
