By IBIRONKE ARIYO

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it recovered large quantities of banned Tramadol and opium pills during separate raids conducted over the past four days across four states.

NDLEA’s spokesman, Mr Femi Babafemi, who made the disclosure in a statement on Sunday in Abuja, said the agency’s operatives carried out the raids between Wednesday and Saturday.

According to him, the states the raids were carried out include, Kano, Gombe, Borno and Niger respectively.

Babafemi that NDLEA operatives nabbed a suspected drug trafficker in Kano State with 36,000 pills of tramadol along Danbatta-Kazaure road, on Wednesday.

“A total of 25,000 pills of tramadol and exol-5 were recovered from another suspect at Gombe Roundabout on Friday.

“Two suspects were also arrested same day with 49 blocks of compressed skunk that weighed 29kg at Kwadom, Yemaltu Deba Local Government Area (LGA) of Gombe state.

“In another development, in Borno, NDLEA officers on patrol along Baga Road, Maiduguri, on Saturday, intercepted 74,360 pills of opioids in a Mercedes Benz C180 car marked GUB 409 AA.”

According to him, a 44-year-old suspect is being detained in connection with the seizure.

“Three suspects were on Saturday arrested during an intelligence-led raid at Narayi High Cost area of Chikun LGA, Kaduna State.

“In Bayelsa, a 63 year-old grandmother was on Thursday arrested at Osiri area of Yenagoa in connection with the seizure of 163 litres of skuchies,” he said.

Babafemi further disclosed that four suspects were on Thursday, similarly arrested by NDLEA’s operatives along Okene-Lokoja highway, Kogi.

He said that ’he suspected drug traffickers were arrested in connection with the seizure of 2 kg methamphetamine recovered during a search of their vehicle coming from Onitsha, Anambra to Minna in Niger.

“Similarly, in Abia, NDLEA officers on Monday, July 14, raided the base of a notorious drug dealer, at 4 Niger str, Ugwa road, Aba.”

He said that various quantities of tramadol, cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and a total of N736,000 monetary exhibit were allegedly recovered from him.

Babafemi also disclosed that the agency’s operatives also raided a popular hotel located at 115 Ogudu road in Kosofe, Lagos State where different party drugs were being distributed and sold.

He said that the raid followed credible intelligence and surveillance which confirmed a wanted suspect as the arrowhead of the drug network.

“At the time of the operation, 1.30kg Chocolate Cannabis, 900grams of gummies and 22.9grams of skunk were recovered from the suspect’s room in the hotel.

“Other items recovered from the hotel include three vehicles.

“The hotel which is a 20- room facility was running as a family business, housing mother and siblings,” he said. (NAN)