NDLEA discovers drug cartels

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has discovered three drug cartels allegedly supplying illicit substances to some states.

The agency also recovered skunk and cocaine weighing more than 843 kilogrammes.

NDLEA Director, Media and Advocacy Femi Babafemi announced the discovery in a statement issued on Tuesday in Abuja.

Babafemi said that the operatives also arrested no fewer than seven of the drug kingpins behind the syndicates in separate raids in Kogi, Nasarawa State and Benue.

He said that the arrest was made as the offenders attempted to evade the frequent road interdiction efforts by officers of the Kogi command of the agency.

He also said that the cartels were intercepted on July 12 at a jetty in Idah, Kogi, in a car marked Lagos SMK 345 CG, loaded with 487 kilogrammes of cannabis.

“In Nasarawa State, a team of NDLEA operatives had on July 8 raided one of the most hostile drug joints in the state capital.

“More than 356 kilogrammes of cannabis and various psychotropic substances were recovered.

“This is addition to the arrest of four major drug dealers, including the most notorious drug kingpin in Nasarawa State.

“His drug distribution tentacles cut across Kano State, Plateau, Benue and parts of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

“Curiously, some quantities of cocaine were intercepted in Benue on July 8, July 9t and July 13.

“Indeed, the supplier was arrested with 29.17 grammes of crack cocaine.

“In another raid on July 13,  the Benue command also seized some quantities of cocaine,” he said.

Babafemi quoted the Chairman, NDLEA, retired Brig.-Brig Buba Marwa, as commending the commanders, officers and men of Kogi, Nasarawa State and Benue commands of the agency.

He said Marwa charged them not to relent but remain resolute in their commitment to rid every community of illicit drug peddling.