By IBIRONKE ARIYO

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have uncovered and dismantled a social media network used to distribute illicit substances packaged as imported Christmas cookies and snacks.

NDLEA’s Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Mr Femi Babafemi, in a statement on Sunday in Abuja said that two masterminds were detained after a raid on their hideout in Lekki area of Lagos.

Babafemi said that the drug syndicate operated the duo had imported consignments of Canadian Loud, a strong strain of cannabis and a variety of colourful designer sachets.

He said the substances were packaged in retail quantities using sachets printed with pictures and labels of cookies and snacks.

Babafemi explained that following credible intelligence on the activities of the syndicate, which operated and distributed drugs through a WhatsApp platform, NDLEA operatives began tracking their movements.

He said the operatives eventually raided the syndicate’s apartment on Ojulari Street, Ikate area of Lekki on Nov. 22.

He added that a large quantity of the designer sachets and 5kg of Loud were recovered during the operation.

In another operation in Lagos, NDLEA operatives on Nov. 27 arrested a 38-year-old drug kingpin while he was taking delivery of 110 pouches of Canadian Loud weighing 55.6kg at the Ladipo area of Mushin.

Babafemi said three delivery vehicles were also seized from him at the point of arrest.

Meanwhile, at a courier company in Lagos, 100 grams of Loud concealed in a teddy bear imported from Thailand were intercepted on Nov. 27.

He said a consignment of 548 capsules of tramadol hidden in bottles of Vitamin C and Magnesium and destined for the United Kingdom was also recovered at another logistics firm on Nov. 28.

He furthermore disclosed that in Oyo State, NDLEA officers on patrol along the Lagos–Ibadan expressway on Nov. 29, arrested a suspect with 8,000 ampoules of pentazocine injection.

“Other items recovered from the suspect were 590 bottles of codeine syrup, 1,500 pills of Co-codamol and 9,900 capsules of tramadol,” he said.

He added that no fewer than seven suspects were arrested on Nov. 24 when NDLEA operatives raided the Ipe Forest in Akoko South-East area of Ondo State, where they recovered 3,077kg of skunk, a strain of cannabis.

Babafemi added that another suspect was arrested along the Okene–Lokoja Highway in Kogi State on Nov. 26 while conveying 649kg of skunk in a truck.

Babafemi said another suspect was arrested along Okene/Lokoja highway Kogi state conveying 649kg skunk in a truck on Nov. 26.

“NDLEA officers at the Seme Special Area Command on Nov. 28 raided a warehouse at Ashipa, Seme border area of Badagry, Lagos.

“They arrested a suspect with 487 blocks of skunk weighing 243.5kg.

In the same vein, in Kano, another suspect was arrested along Zaria-Kano road with 137kg skunk on Nov. 24.

Babafemi said that three suspects were nabbed on Nov. 26 with 322 blocks of skunk weighing 209kilograms at Fanshanu village, Toro Local Government Area of Bauchi state.

“A black Toyota Highlander jeep marked ABJ 533 EA used in conveying the consignment was also recovered from them,”he said.

Similarly, a suspect was arrested with 210.15kg skunk along Abuja/Jos highway on Nov. 29, while a couple.

Babafemi said that two suspects were nabbed along Abuja/Kaduna highway with 725 rounds of 7.62 mm live ammunition concealed in a sack of maize.

He said that another suspect was caught with 400 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition at Abuja/Kaduna tollgate on Nov. 28. (NAN)