The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA), has impounded 1.4 tons of Cannabis Sativa worth 26 Million Naira in Calabar, Cross River State, southern Nigeria.
The cannabis was packed in 130 jumbo bags and concealed in the cylinder of a truck intended to convey cooking gas from Ondo State in south-west Nigeria to Calabar.
The Cross River State Commander of the NDLEA, Mr. Kupi Maulsei told Voice of Nigeria that the arrest was “first of its kind in this part of the country.”
According to Maulsei, “through intelligence gathering and painstaking investigation, the command impounded a gas cylinder truck and 13 motorcycles deep inside a forest in Odukpani local government area. While assessing the truck, my officers discovered that the truck, which was purchased in June 2022 has never been used to convey gas.
“Rather when they opened the pumps, the smell was different and checking inside the cylinder recovered 130 jumbo bags of cannabis sativa with a street value of 200,000 naira per bag totaling 26 Million Naira. The motorcycles included 2 power bikes and 11 others also valued at about 10 million naira besides other tools, even the truck was bought at 28 Million Naira solely for this business,” he said.
Other achievement
Continuing, the commander said one of those involved was arrested, while investigation was ongoing to apprehend the supplier, who is in Ondo State and the buyer in Cross River State, noting that the command was determined to ensure illegal drugs were mopped up this election period.
He said, “we are tracking the supplier and buyer’s whereabouts. The command will not rest on its oars until that gang is squashed completely. Imagine the quantity of drugs coming into the State during this period when we are going for elections. It has the potential of heightening violence and insecurity during the elections and we cannot allow that happen. In collaboration with other security agencies, the NDLEA is ready to do its part to guarantee peaceful and transparent election devoid of every form of violence,” he further stated.
He explained that the officers despite being constantly under attacks by citizens, recently destroyed 15 hectares of cannabis sativa farm in Akamkpa local government area with the support of the 13 Brigade Nigerian Army and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC.
Rehab services
The commander hinted that besides arresting, impounding and destroying illegal drugs and facilities, the command through its Drug Demand Reduction Unit, assist families rehabilitate relatives suffering from addictions.
“We offer assistance to drug addicts in that we help families especially parents, who were previously unaware that their children or wards are addicts, get rehabilitated. We collaborate with the Psychiatric Hospital Calabar to rehabilitate addicts and train some students on what we do.
“We also provide counseling services to some of those needing advice rather than rehabilitation. We equally counsel parents and guardians, while on our part, we constantly strengthen the capacities of our officers as well as strengthen patrol, which has yielded great results,” Maulsei said.
He advised people to support the effort of the command in curbing drug abuse amongst young people, noting that violence and other vices amongst the youths, could be attributed to illicit drugs usage.
