By Salim Yunusa
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested 10 suspected online drug traffickers and recovered assorted drugs from them.
Its spokesman, Femi Babafemi, in a statement on Sunday, said this followed fresh raids on online drug traffickers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
He said 11 dispatch motorcycles used to distribute drugs were also seized.
The statement reads: “The first suspect, 28-year-old Ese Patrick who sells her illicit substances through Instagram account; Ese’sOvenSecret, was tracked and arrested with some pieces of brownies ordered online by NDLEA’s undercover agents, on 21st May, 2021 and delivered by herself and her boyfriend in a Mercedes Benz car.
“A follow up operation at her residence led to the seizure of 400 grams of Arizona weed, which she uses in baking the brownies. Further investigation led to the arrest of one Iyama Patrick, with 450 grams of Arizona weed. He supplies Ese the cannabis she uses.
“A day earlier, a motorcycle belonging to a courier company, Sky Port was abandoned by a dispatch rider in Wuse Zone 4 upon sighting NDLEA’s outpost in the area. The motorcycle was later found to contain several pinches of crack cocaine (a.k.a Challie), and some envelopes of Arizona meant for delivery.
“Another online drug trafficker, Peter Nkejika was arrested on Monday 24th May 2021 following an arrest of a dispatch rider with some quantity of Loud, a highly psychoactive variant of cannabis. Each portion of loud costs N30, 000 and the rider was caught with 17 portions for delivery.
“Also on Tuesday 25th May, NDLEA operatives intercepted two online drug transactions and arrested two dispatch riders with some quantities of cocaine and Loud already packaged for delivery recovered from them.
“In all, five dispatch riders and a lady, Dolapo Benjamin who owns motorcycles involved in door- to- door distribution of drugs and drug based edibles; cakes and brownies were arrested while six dispatch motorcycles involved in door to door drug distribution were seized.
“Also seized from them were assorted drugs; Cocaine, Crack /Challie, Molly/ Ecstasy, Skunk, Brownies and Loud, which is the most expensive psychoactive variant of cannabis in town.”
Babafemi said in a related development that operatives intercepted 30 compressed parcels of cannabis, heading to Ningi, Bauchi state on May 27th.
Also intercepted was Rohypnol and Tramadol meant for the FCT.
The drugs weighing 105.5 kilograms were seized along Gwagwalada- Abuja road in a luxury bus, the statement indicated.
Babafemi said three persons were arrested in connection with the exhibits.
He said two more dispatch motorcycles were seized with some quantities of cocaine and cannabis on Saturday, May 29.
According to the statement, operatives of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigations (DOGI) of the agency also intercepted 445 grams of Methamphetamine headed for New Zealand. They were concealed inside USB chargers and hair attachments.
Another 450 grams of cannabis sativa headed for the UAE and concealed inside local soap containers at a courier company in Lagos, was also intercepted, the agency’s spokesman said.
He also said 125 grams of heroin concealed inside academic thesis books was seized at another firm while 2kg of cannabis sativa hidden inside tractor’s balloon was intercepted at another courier company also in Lagos.
