NDLEA Intercepts Large Opioid Consignment in Building Materials, Arrests 75-Year-Old and Others

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted large consignments of opioids concealed in building materials, arresting several suspects including a 75-year-old man in Ebonyi State and four female drug dealers in separate operations across the country.

On Saturday, June 6, operatives acting on intelligence intercepted a truck transporting building materials from Onitsha, Anambra State, to Jalingo in Taraba State. A search at Nukkai Timber Shade in Jalingo uncovered a large cache of illicit drugs hidden beneath the cargo. The driver's assistant, 22-year-old Buhari Abdullahi, was arrested. Recovered from the truck were 320,840 capsules of tramadol, 600 ampoules of pentazocine injection, 4,500 tablets of Rohypnol, and 299 bottles of codeine-based cough syrup.

In Ebonyi State, NDLEA operatives arrested a 75-year-old suspect, Okebe Samuel, in Okposi. He was found with 300 grams of skunk allegedly packaged in retail sachets for sale to youths in the community.

In Imo State, officers raided a drug hotspot in Umulolo, Orlu, leading to the arrest of a suspected drug dealer, Chioma Okeke, 32. Eight kilograms of skunk were reportedly recovered.

In Edo State, operatives conducted raids on drug hotspots in Benin City on June 2, resulting in the arrest of four suspects, including three women. At Uyosa, Benin City, officers apprehended Chioma Igba, 24, and Precious Ozomah, 22, with 176 grams of skunk, 65 grams of Loud, and five grams of methamphetamine. Another suspect, Anita Abraham, 21, was arrested along Agbor Road with 95 grams of Scottish Loud and 329 grams of regular Loud. A separate operation at Upper Mission, Benin City, led to the arrest of Henry Okey.