The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Rivers State Command, says it has arrested 29 suspected members of some drug cartels.
The agency also disclosed that it seized 493.263kg of illicit drugs such as cocaine, heroin, Cannabis Sativa and methamphetamine (aka Mkpurunmiri) during the operation.
Ahmed Mamuda, the Rivers State commander, made the disclosure on Wednesday in a statement by Emmanuel Ogbumgbada, the spokesman for the anti-narcotics agency in Port Harcourt.
Mamuda said the Command acted on credible intelligence by the officers of the command in the state who carried out stop and search operation along the East-West Road, Ahoada axis of the state from October 10 till 11, and intercepted a gold colour Toyota Sienna SUV with Reg No – Abuja YAB 70 BR conveying 20 bags of cannabis Sativa weighing 251.4kg, from Benin to Owerri.
Mamuda stated that the driver of the SUV, Segun Ajayi 35 years, who was conveying the exhibit was arrested and taken to custody.
According to Mamuda, the Command made another seizure of 15 bags of cannabis Sativa weighing 161.4kg inside one ash coloured Toyota Camry saloon car with Reg No ABUJA RBC 590 BQ with two male occupants who, on sighting our officers, abandoned their vehicle, took to flight and escaped into the nearby bush.
“All efforts to apprehend them proved abortive. The vehicle was later found to be registered in the name of Egbo John Uche who is suspected to be the owner of the abandoned exhibit.
“While Segun Ajayi is already volunteering useful information, we are exploiting all available sources to track and bring Egbo John Uche to justice as soon as possible,” he said.
Mr Mamuda explained that the command, in September, arrested 28 suspects comprising 20 males and 8 females with a total seizure of 81.255kg of illicit drugs which included narcotic drugs such as cocaine, heroin, Cannabis Sativa and methamphetamine (aka Mkpurunmiri.)
Others are psychotropic substances such as tramadol, swinol, Exol-5, diazepam, Amphetamine, and talen.
Mamuda urged Rivers people to continue to supply actionable intelligence that would lead to the eradication of illicit drug business in the society.
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