The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) command in Cross River has revealed that it has arrested at least 223 suspects dealing in hard drugs, News About Nigeria reports.
The state commander, Rachel Umebuali, disclosed this in an interview in Calabar on Monday, stating that the arrests were made in connection with the seizure of hard drugs that were made in the year.
She noted that several of the suspects have been charged to court and some were facing trials already, adding that the command has secured the conviction of some of the suspects, while some of the arrested suspects were also discharged and acquitted by the courts.
Umebuali, who is also the Commander of Narcotics (CN), stated that the arrested suspects included 22 females and 201 males, adding that the commandant has seized different types of hard drugs, including cannabis, cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and psychotropics, among several others.
Umebuali, while lamenting the incessant rise in issues relating to drug abuse among youths, stated that a lot of hard drugs have been confiscated between January and December 2023.
She added that the primary modes of transportation for drug operators in the country are vehicles and motorcycles, noting that most drug users make use of these modes to peddle drugs to and fro.
She further revealed that a total of 2.05 tonnes of hard drugs were seized from drug peddlers between January and December in the state.
According to her, 1.64 tonnes of cannabis were seized, while cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and psychoactive substances account for 3.5 grammes, 4.3 grammes, 81.9 grammes, and 410.24 kg, respectively.
