NDLEA Nab 37 Suspects, Seizes Over 345kg Of Drugs In Edo

The Edo State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) announced on Monday that it arrested 37 suspected drug traffickers and seized a total of 345.421 kilograms of narcotic drugs in the month of June.

State Commander Mitchell Ofoyeju made the disclosure while reviewing the agency’s recent operations in combating drug trafficking and substance abuse across the state.

According to him, the arrests comprised 25 males and 12 females and were part of the command’s broader strategy to dismantle drug trafficking networks and address growing concerns over substance abuse.

“These arrests were part of a broader strategy aimed at dismantling drug trafficking networks and addressing the concerns on substance abuse within the communities,” Ofoyeju stated.

Providing a breakdown of the seizures, he reported that the first batch included:

• 310.485 kg of cannabis

• 0.3415 kg of psychotropic substances

• 0.3175 kg of methamphetamine

Additional seizures, mostly abandoned substances, included:

• 33.226 kg of cannabis sativa

  Sponsored

• 0.67 kg of psychotropic substances

• 0.373 kg of methamphetamine

• 5 litres of codeine syrup

• 0.004 kg of cocaine

In a major crackdown effort, Ofoyeju also revealed that the command destroyed illegal cannabis farms measuring a total of 7.27 hectares, with an estimated yield of 18,184.7128 kg. These farms were located in the Okhuse and Ugbada Uzebba forests in the Owan West Local Government Area.

“We razed the farms located in Okhuse Forest and Ugbada Uzebba Forest, both in the Owan West Local Government Area of the state,” he said.

On the legal front, the command filed 11 new cases in court and secured five convictions. Currently, 107 cases remain pending at the Federal High Court in Benin.

Ofoyeju also emphasized the importance of rehabilitation and community outreach. The Drug Demand Reduction Unit of the command provided counselling services to 32 clients (18 males and 14 females) and conducted multiple awareness programs in partnership with organizations across the state.

He reaffirmed the agency’s unwavering commitment to fighting drug trafficking and abuse.

“The agency remains steadfast in its mandate to combat drug trafficking and abuse,” he said, stressing the need for continued vigilance and community involvement in the war against drugs.