By Steve Agbota, Lagos
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Agency (NDLEA) Special Area Command Tin Can yesterday said it arrested 21 suspected drug traffickers out of which 14 are indicted and currently on trial before a federal high court in Lagos and intercepted 28,622.389kg of illicit drugs.
This was revealed in its statement issued by the Command Public Relations Officer, CSN Jared Mbula in commemoration of this year’s United Nations Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.
The statement reads that the Special Area Command Tin Can reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the global fight against the scourge of drug trafficking, particularly in the maritime domain.
However, as part of the key achievements of the Command from January to June 2024, it made seizures of approximately 28,622.389 kilograms of various illicit drugs, including cannabis indica or Canadian loud weighing 2,232.999 kilograms, which is an increase of 261.9 per cent of the total seizures recorded by the command last year.
According to the statement, also is seizure of Heroin weighing 79.39 kilograms, and 26,310 kilograms of Barcadin cough syrups with codeine (i.e., 175,400 bottles 100ml each).
The statement reads that the seizure also included a monetary exhibit of six million naira being a bribe money offered by the suspect to thwart the seizure of 7.5 kg of Canadian loud from a container MSMU 7294325.
“Impoundment of several vehicles and containers used to conceal the suspected drugs smuggling activities. The most notable specific seizures and arrests of the command came from the containers: MSCU4581770 and TRHU7968071 from which a combined seizure of Heroin weighing 56.39, which is the highest single seizure of heroin ever recorded in the maritime domain in Nigeria, and cannabis indica weighing 987.9kg called Canadian loud. “Both containers came from Durban South Africa and were declared as personal effects, and we apprehended three suspects in connection with the seizure, all the suspects are still on trial before a federal high court in Lagos,” the statement reads.
The NDLEA Tin Can command also made a single seizure of 1,072kg of cannabis indica from the container GAOU6699215 shipped from Montreal Canada and falsely declared as containing merely three units of used vehicles, according to the statement.
Similarly, the command made a seizure of 23kg of heroin from a container MSDU5008365 declared as containing personal effects and arrested four suspects in relation to it.
Since the beginning of 2024, the NDLEA Special Area Command Tin Can has undertaken a series of robust operations and interventions that have significantly disrupted the activities of drug trafficking syndicates operating along the coastlines and maritime corridors under its area of responsibility, the statement added.
“The Tin Can NDLEA Special Area Command remains resolute in its mission to deny criminal elements the ability to exploit our maritime domain for their nefarious activities.
“We will continue to work closely with our national and international partners to strengthen interdiction capabilities, share intelligence, and collectively dismantle the intricate networks of drug trafficking organizations,” said Commander of Narcotics, Mohammed Aminu Abubakar.
He said the command will continue to appreciate and commend the tireless efforts of its men and women who have demonstrated unwavering dedication and professionalism in executing the command’s mandate.
“These achievements are a testament to the steadfast commitment of our personnel in safeguarding our maritime borders and protecting our communities from the devastating impact of illicit drugs,” Abubakar added.
As the world commemorates the United Nations Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, the Tin Can NDLEA command reaffirms its steadfast determination to continue playing a pivotal role in the global fight against the drug trade, upholding the rule of law, and preserving the security and well-being of the people.
