The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Sunday said it has arrested and detained a businessman, his wife and two daughters over alleged drug peddling.
In a statement by the NDLEA Director, Media And Advocacy, Femi Babafemi in Abuja, stated that their family friend was also taken into custody.
Babafemi said that this came after investigation revealed that the family ran a major illicit drug distribution network in Lagos involving the family friend.
“The couple was first arrested on Friday, June 13 by operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS) in Ojo area of the state and transferred to NDLEA along with 277.5kg skunk.
“While they were still being investigated in custody, credible intelligence revealed that the family business was going on in his house.
“This led to a raid of their home and a packing store where 231kg of the same substance was recovered on Tuesday, July 1.”
Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, (MMIA), Ikeja Lagos on Wednesday, July 2 intercepted a frequent flyer for drug trafficking.
Babafemi said that the suspect specialised in conveying goods for customers from Nigeria to Italy and vice versa.
“He was found to have hidden 7,660 pills of tramadol 225mg and 200mg inside food items packed among other goods he was conveying to Italy.
“He claimed that he was to be paid the sum of 800 euros upon successful delivery of the drug consignment in Italy,”he said.
NDLEA destroys 9.67 hectares of cannabis farmland, arrests 7 suspects
Meanwhile, the NDLEA destroyed 24,175 kilograms of skunk on 9.67 hectares of cannabis farmland at Ikaka, Oke-Ila forest, Osun.
The Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Femi Babafemi said this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.
Babafemi said that NDLEA operatives had raided the area where seven suspects were arrested on July 3.
In another development, in Borno, 167kg of skunk was recovered at Gamboru-Ngala, while a total of 452kg of the same psychoactive substance was seized at Gadar Tamburawa in Kano.
Babafemi said that two suspects were arrested in connection with the seizure on July 3.
He said NDLEA operatives on patrol along Abuja-Kaduna expressway recovered 11,000 pills of tramadol 225mg from a suspect, while their counterparts in Sokoto arrested 62-year-old in connection with the seizure of 4,800 pills of tramadol 225mg.
In Kebbi state, operatives raided Bakin Kasuwa Yauri base where they seized 312 kg skunk and 10,000 tabs of diazepam, while two suspects were also arrested with 49,930 capsules of tramadol in Taraba state.
“In Edo state, NDLEA operatives raided the Ewere forest in Owan West LGA where they arrested a wanted suspect, Alaba Monday, 49, in one of his cannabis farms with 115 kg of processed skunk.”
He said three other suspects were nabbed in another farm measuring 2.050201 hectares.
According to him, a 78-year-old suspect was arrested with 14.49kg skunk and tramadol during a raid by NDLEA operatives at Ofudua, Obubra LGA, Cross River, while three other suspects were nabbed at Ovonum, Obubra LGA.