*Nigeria鈥檚 National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has arrested 10 suspected online drug traffickers with 107 kilogrammes of cocaine and several motorcycles in Abuja

Alexander Davis | 绿帽献妻

Following a discreet investigation and subsequent raids, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has apprehended 10 suspected online drug traffickers with 107 kilogrammes of cocaine and motorcycles in Abuja, FCT.

Femi Babafemi, Spokesman of NDLEA in a statement Sunday, May 30 said the arrest followed fresh raids in the country鈥檚 federal capital.

The statement noted that a young lady and her boyfriend as well as eight others were apprehended, and assorted drugs recovered from them in the process.

The anti-narcotics agency disclosed that the first suspect, 28-year-old Ese Patrick, said to be selling her illicit substances through Instagram account; Ese鈥檚OvenSecret, was tracked and arrested with some pieces of brownies ordered online by NDLEA鈥檚 undercover agents, on May 2 and delivered by herself and her boyfriend in a Mercedes Benz car.

Babafemi said: 鈥淎 follow up operation at her residence led to the seizure of 400 grams of Arizona weed, which she uses in baking the brownies.

鈥淔urther investigation led to the arrest of one Iyama Patrick, with 450 grams of Arizona weed. He supplies Ese the cannabis she uses.鈥�

Likewise, a motorcycle belonging to a courier company, Sky Port, was abandoned by a despatch rider in Wuse Zone 4 of Abuja, upon sighting NDLEA鈥檚 outpost in the area.

The motorcycle was later found to contain several pinches of cocaine and some envelopes of Arizona meant for delivery, the statement added.

According to NDLEA, in yet 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, the regulatory agency noted.

The statement further said the NDLEA operatives Tuesday, May 25 had intercepted two online drug transactions and arrested two dispatch riders with some quantities of cocaine and Loud already packaged for delivery recovered from them.

It stated that that 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.

The Spokesman stated that the agency also seized from the suspects assorted drugs; Cocaine, Crack /Challie, Molly/ Ecstasy, Skunk, Brownies and Loud, which is the most expensive psychoactive variant of cannabis in town.

The statement said: 鈥淚n 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.

鈥淭he drugs weighing 105.5 kilograms were seized along Gwagwalada- Abuja road, in a luxury bus.

鈥淭hree 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.鈥�

It added: 鈥淢eanwhile, 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.

鈥淚n 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鈥檚 balloon was intercepted at another courier company also in Lagos.鈥�

In his remarks on the development, Brig.-General Mohammed Buba Marwa (Retd.), Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, directed the FCT Command of the Agency to immediately embark on stop and search of commercial dispatch riders across the nation鈥檚 capital city to curb the online drug trafficking trend in the FCT.

Marwa applauded Mohammed Malami Sokoto, FCT Commander of NDLEA, and his officers and men for the recent successes and sustaining the offensive against the latest trend in illicit drug trafficking in the Federal Capital Territory.

The NDLEA Chief also commended the officers and men of 鈥楧OGI鈥� for their vigilance and commitment to operations.