The Edo State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested 54 suspected drug traffickers and seized 1,506.57 kilograms of various narcotics during operations carried out in September.
The State Commander, Mitchell Ofoyeju, disclosed this while presenting the command’s operational report in Benin City on Tuesday.
Ofoyeju revealed that the arrests comprised 43 men and 11 women, noting that the command also destroyed six illicit cannabis farms spanning over 26 hectares across different parts of the state.
The destroyed plantations, he said, were located in Ugbogui Forest (Ovia South West), Ataroro Forest (Owan West), Urohi Forest (Esan West) and Ogu Forest (Igueben Local Government Area), yielding an estimated 66,078.57 kilograms of skunk cannabis.
“The command intercepted a total of 1,506.57kg of illegal substances, including 1,502.26kg of Cannabis Sativa and 4.27kg of psychotropic drugs such as tramadol, nitrazepam, Swinol, Danabol (Molly), methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin,” Ofoyeju stated.
He described the operation as a major breakthrough in the agency’s ongoing war against drug trafficking and abuse in Edo State, adding that the NDLEA remains committed to dismantling criminal networks involved in the illicit trade.
“These efforts represent a vital step toward reclaiming our communities from the grip of drug abuse and safeguarding public health,” the Commander said.
Ofoyeju reaffirmed the agency’s determination to intensify intelligence-driven operations and enhance collaboration with local communities to reduce drug demand and curb trafficking in the state.
