TheNewsGuru

Tag: Drugs

  • Man reclaims lost bag from police but busted for drugs inside

    Man reclaims lost bag from police but busted for drugs inside

    After forgetting his rucksack at Braunschweig train station in Germany at the weekend, a 22-year-old man turned to the police for help but didn’t mention the illegal drugs inside.

    The police said they contacted the rail operator Deutsche Bahn and duly found the bag, and let the owner know he could come and collect it.

    In the meantime, however, officers also confiscated the marijuana and a can of amphetamines which they found inside the rucksack.

    The owner arrived to claim his belongings only to be hit with a charge of possessing illegal drugs.

  • Popular Abuja businessman selling illicit drugs on Jiji arrested

    Popular Abuja businessman selling illicit drugs on Jiji arrested

    One Mr Orakwe Chibuike Celestine, a popular businessman based in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has been arrested for engaging in sales of illicit and controlled drugs on the popular e-commerce platform, Jiji.ng.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Mr Orakwe, the MD/CEO of Marvelrock Pharmaceuticals and Stores Limited, was arrested by the operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), following painstaking investigation.

    A graduate of Business Administration from the University of Abuja, Orakwe registered the pharmaceutical company on 16th December 2014 with the certificate and support of a licensed pharmacist, who opted out of the deal in 2017, according to a statement by Femi Babafemi, NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy.

    “The suspect continued running the business and enrolled it on Jiji.ng platform in 2019. He however came under NDLEA’s radar in October 2021 when he advertised many pharmaceutical products such as Tramadol, Ketamine Hydrochloride injection, Hypnox flunitrazepam tablets among others on the Jiji.ng online marketplace.

    “Between 26th October 2021 and 8th August 2022, the team of anti-narcotic officers assigned to investigate Orakwes drug business activities was able to establish the suspect was selling Tramadol 225mg and other illicit/controlled drugs through the e-commerce platform.

    “As a result, the suspect was arrested with some quantities of Tramadol and Swiphnol brand of Rohypnol on Monday 8th August at a drink joint in Jabi area of Abuja where he had gone to make some supplies of orders made through his online channel on Jiji.ng.

    “In his reaction to Orakwes arrest, Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) said the painstaking investigation and process of arresting the businessman should send a strong message to those hiding behind the internet to engage in marketing and selling of illicit/controlled drugs that the Agency will definitely get them to face the consequences of their action,” the statement reads.

  • Nigeria Police partners TSDF on drugs and drug prevention (PHOTOS)

    Nigeria Police partners TSDF on drugs and drug prevention (PHOTOS)

    The Nigeria Police Force has partnered with The Drug Salvation Foundation (TDSF) on a sensitization drive focused on Drugs and Drug Prevention, Treatment and Care (DPTC), with a 5-day train-the-trainers workshop.

     

    In a post on Twitter, Sunday, the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, noted that the event took place at the Police Force Headquarters, Louis Edet House, Abuja between Monday 1st and Friday 5th August 2022.

     

    It was gathered that the workshop, which was organized with support from the European Union (EU) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), was the first part of a series that will not only expose Police Officers to an effective response to drugs and organized crime but strengthen police capacity and highlight road maps for effective reforms.

     

    The train-the-trainers workshop which was declared open on Monday 1st August, 2022 at Peacekeeping Hall, Force Headquarters, Abuja, will cascade down to all Police Commands across the Six (6) geo-political zones of the country through Police Training Institutions.

     

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the training participants comprised thirty (30) Police Officers drawn from different Departments, Zones, Commands and Formations of the Force.

     

    The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, reiterated his commitment to training and human capacity development to sustain the collective fight to curb drug misuse which has formed the major stimulant for springing up of various dimensions of crimes and criminality in our society.

     

    The IGP equally appreciated the training partners for the reform efforts geared at bestowing the nation with a modernized, citizen-led, rule of law-guided, and professional Police Force.

     

    See photos below:

    Nigeria Police partners TSDF on drugs and drug prevention (PHOTOS)

  • We must break illicit drug supply, distribution chains – Osinbajo

    We must break illicit drug supply, distribution chains – Osinbajo

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has urged the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA) and other stakeholders to step up efforts toward breaking illicit drug supply and distribution chains.

    Osinbajo was the Special Guest of Honour at the United Nations International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Drug Trafficking on Monday at the State House Banquet Hall, Abuja.

    The event was organised by the NDLEA in collaboration with United Nations Office on Drugs(UNODC), MTN and EU.

    The vice president commended the NDLEA for the impressive number of drug users it had counseled and rehabilitated within the year.

    “The number of drug trafficking cases reported this past week proves that there is even much more illicit drug activity ongoing.

    “The expressed vision of the NDLEA goes beyond getting more drug criminals arrested; it is to have no drug criminals at all. We must therefore deepen the effort.

    “Relentlessly breaking illicit drug supply chains and distribution networks; discouraging drug use through intensive outreach and sensitisation; and also promptly prosecuting traffickers.

    “But above all, we must intensify rehabilitation of drug addicts because what we are faced with is indeed a public health crisis – a crisis that is taking lives, destroying families and shattering communities.

    “I am glad to hear that in 2021, about 8,000 drug users were counseled and rehabilitated by the NDLEA, and in the first half of this year alone, over 11,000 drug users have been counseled and treated.’’

    He said that there must be a multi-dimensional and holistic approach to tackling drug abuse.

    Osinbajo regretted that access to illicit drugs became easier with online sales and contactless drug transactions– both influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic.

    “However, the new normal still offers us opportunities for increased innovation in tackling this menace, through technology-based monitoring systems for promptly detecting and addressing drug market changes.

    “And also accelerating mobile outreach programmes, remote consultation, and treatment for those who suffer from drug use disorders and are without appropriate care.

    “ As much as the Federal Government through its agencies and the state governments will lead the charge with decisive policy initiatives, these strides must be complemented by changes at the family and community level.

    “The kind of change we seek regarding drug abuse cannot happen without the collaboration of families, faith-based organisations and community leadership at the local levels.

    “We must spearhead massive value reorientation across the country, reassessing cultural factors and systems that support drug abuse and trafficking.’’

    He said that communities everywhere must rise to this challenge, adding the Federal Government would continue to support the NDLEA to fulfil its mandate.

    The vice president said that through data-driven and evidence-based policy making, enduring and sustainable solutions to the underlying causes of drug abuse would continuously unearthed.

    “Once again, let me again commend the new, dynamic and greatly improved NDLEA, and appreciate the gallant officers for their service to our country.

    “We must also appreciate our development partners for the successes recorded so far and for their firm resolution to support the effort to ensure a clean and drug-free Nigeria.

    “We are winning this war; the days of the scourge of drug abuse and dependency are clearly numbered; but it will involve even greater investment in focus and determination for the long haul,’’ he said.

    Earlier in his opening speech, NDLEA Chairman, Buba Marwa, said that the World Drug Report 2021 indicated that Drug use killed almost half a million people in 2019.

    He said the report showed that drug use disorders resulted in 18 million years of healthy life lost, mostly due to opioids.

    Marwa said that the concerns raised by the World Drug Report 2021 were not farfetched because in Nigeria.

    “We are beginning to see similar patterns from the findings of the National Drug Use and Health Survey 2018.

    “The survey recorded an estimated 376,000 high-risk drug users in the country, of which one in every five injects drugs.

    “And with a total of 80,000 People Who Inject Drugs (PWID), the risk of the spread of HIV, Hepatitis C and other blood-borne diseases was high and this in turn raises the stake of a public health crisis.

    “Hence, there was no questioning the rationale of treatment for drug users,’’ he said.

    He said that to check that to eliminate obstacles standing in the way of those that genuinely need help, the agency would unveil a toll-free, 0800-10203040, and the website, ndleahelpline.com.ng.

    On his part, Country Representative, UNODC, Oliver Stolpe, said that the UN had renewed its commitment to ending the scotch and supporting those who fell victim to it.

    The vice president afterwards, unveiled the NDLEA Testing Kit and presented gifts to students that excelled in the MTN Quizz 2022.

  • NDLEA seizes N6bn worth of drugs in Apapa

    NDLEA seizes N6bn worth of drugs in Apapa

    The Apapa Area Command of the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), said it seized 19,703.25 kgs of hard drugs, worth over N6 billion between January and June 20.

    Its Commander, Mr Ameh Inalegwu, disclosed this in Lagos.

    He said that the command was ready to curb the menace of illegal drug dealers in the nation’s maritime space.

    ” This is already validated by the numerous seizures recorded in few months,” Inalegwu said.

    ” The drugs seized within seven days included 1,518kgs of Tafrodol and Tramadol weighing 3,553 kilograms.

    ” This is in addition to the seizures of cough syrup with Codeine in January, 40.25 Kgs of the same cough syrup with Codeine in February , 12 kgs of another cough syrup with Codeine in March.

    ” The command also recovered 350 grams of Cocaine and 150 grams of Heroin in March.

    “In summary, the command recorded a total seizure of 19,703.25kgs of assorted illicit drugs between January and June 20,” he said.

    ”Operation of the command in maritime corridor saddled it with the responsibility of waging war against drug cartels.

    ”NDLEA is mindful of the status of the sea port as a gate way and the limitless opportunities it offered to ship hard drugs in large volumes.

    ” The volumes that far outstrip what can be smuggled in through land or air transportation.

    “However , NDLEA would make the port impregnable for the cartels,” he emphasised.

    Inalegwu commended the NDLEA chairman, retired Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa , for rekindling the war against drug cartels.

  • PCN seals 378 pharmacies, patent medicine stores for illegal activities

    PCN seals 378 pharmacies, patent medicine stores for illegal activities

    Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) has sealed 378 pharmaceutical premises comprising of 34 pharmacies and 344 patent medicines stores across 14 local government areas of Taraba State.

    Stephen Esumobi who leads the enforcement team in the state revealed at a press conference held at the state capital after a week long inspection exercise mentioned that compliance notices were issued for various reasons.

    Esumobi also a pharmacist said a total of 546 premises were inspected during the exercise, and discovered that there was remarkable improvement in terms of compliance in the state capital, but situation in the rural areas was different and very bad.

    He mentioned that many pharmacy were sealed because they weren’t licensed while others that were licensed were found guilty of one offence or the other.

    He said many were operating against specified hygiene conditions that could be compromising the integrity of drugs they keep in their custody.

     

    “After almost a week-long inspection exercise, observations from the field in Taraba State revealed that while there is commendable level of compliance by some stakeholders in the state capital, this cannot be said of stakeholders across the local government areas. So many premises are not registered with the PCN, while a large number of those registered do not bother to renew their licences. Most of the patent medicine vendors were engaged in activities far beyond their scope, and also stocked products outside their approved drug list including ethical medicines and substances of abuse.

    “At the end of the exercise, a total of 546 premises were visited. This includes 481 patent and proprietary medicines vendors shops (PPMVS) and 65 pharmacies. Three hundred and seventy eight premises were sealed comprising 34 pharmacies and 344 patent medicines-vendor shops. Twenty-four compliance directives were issued for various offences such as poor sanitary conditions, poor documentation and none display of premises and pharmacists annual licences.

    “The public is hereby advised to source all drug needs from registered and currently licensed pharmacies and over-the- counter medicines from registered PPMV shops as drug sold in unregistered outlets cannot be guaranteed to be genuine.”

  • NDLEA seizes 1,399kg of hard drugs in Kaduna, seals 4 houses

    NDLEA seizes 1,399kg of hard drugs in Kaduna, seals 4 houses

    The Natiional Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has disclosed that it made a total seizure of 1,399kg of drugs in Kaduna in March, and also sealed a shop and four houses in the process.

    Commander of the NDLEA in the state, Mr Umar Adoro, gave the breakdown of drugs seized as 997.121kg of Indian hemp and 342.329kg of other psychotropic substances.

    Others were 0.027kg of cocaine, 0.036kg of heroin and 59.382kg of Tramol.

    Adoro told newsmen in Kaduna on Wednesday, that three of the houses sealed are located at Rigacikun area of the state.

    The fourth, he said, was sealed at Anguwan Maigero area. Drug peddling, trafficking and misuse had become prevalent in the two areas, he said.

    The commander also told newsmen that 117 suspects, including two females were arrested during the raids.

    The Command recovered two locally-made guns, seven cartridges, two ammunitions and 100,000 counterfeit dollars during the March operations, he said.

    Adoro also told reporters that eight notorious drugs joints in the two areas were destroyed during the operations.

    He urged the public to be watchful of movement of suspected goods in their communities and to provide useful information to the agency to curtail influx and consumption of hard drugs.

    He also appealed to parents to be watchful of their wards’ activities.

    Adoro reassured the public of the agency’s commitment to eradicate use of illegal drugs in the society.

  • What will happen to me if I do drugs – KWAM 1

    What will happen to me if I do drugs – KWAM 1

    Veteran Fuji musician, King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, popularly known as KWAM 1, on Friday, said that he does not indulge in drugs.

    KWAM 1 also advised up-and-coming musicians in an interview with NAN, to shun drugs and focus on their crafts.

    “I don’t smoke, but the issue of drugs goes beyond mere smoking. Today, people inject and sniff all sorts of things, but we must all teach artistes about the consequences of the usage of drugs.

    “It is not true that it is only after the use of drugs that they will give a good account of themselves on stage; It is all about education.

    “But this problem is not peculiar to fuji, it is the same with all genres of music, talk about Rock music, it is important that we educate them.

    “If I do drugs I’d look awful at my age, just focus on what’s important, which is your craft.

    “They should take their future seriously, if I had been a drug user, I probably wouldn’t be here,” he said.

  • Police nab suspected drugs peddler in Delta

    Police nab suspected drugs peddler in Delta

    The Police in Delta arrested a suspected drug peddler at Atata Quarters, Ogbomro Community in Uwvie Local Government Area of the state on March 9.

    Police spokesman in the state, DSP Bright Edafe, told newsmen in Warri on Saturday that several substances suspected to be hard drugs were recovered from him.

    Items recovered from the suspect are one Mercedes Benz C350 with Registration Number: KUJ 664 BH and one Lexus 330 with Registration Number: EFR 303 DC.

    Others are 12 bottles of codeine, 14 sachets of tramadol, one-and-a-half compressed sacks of “Loud’’, seven wraps of weeds, “Skunk’’ and 65 tablets of “Happy mood’’ drugs.

    Also recovered were one packet of “Colorado’’, one packet of “Arizona’’, nine packets of “Razler’’ (paper for wrapping Indian hemp) and N192,000 and two cell phones.

    Edafe said investigation into the matter was on-going.

  • NDLEA arrests dismissed DPO, others for hauling drugs in six states, FCT

    NDLEA arrests dismissed DPO, others for hauling drugs in six states, FCT

    The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it had arrested Mr Monday George, a 64-year-old former Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Idanre Police station, Ondo State, for drug trafficking.
    The NDLEA spokesperson, Mr Femi Babafemi, who made this known in a statement on Sunday, in Abuja, said that the suspect was dismissed from the service for drug offences.
    Babafemi said that the suspect was arrested in Niger state, with an accomplice, Emmanuel Eniola, 40, with 280 blocks of compressed cannabis weighing 168kg.
    “They were arrested on Sunday Jan. 30 in Mokwa, Niger state, after their Toyota Avalon car marked EKY 429 BZ (Lagos) was intercepted, loaded with the substance at Idanre, and heading to Kanji, Borgu area of the state,” he said.
    In another development, Babafemi said that attempts by some traffickers to export different quantities of methamphetamine to Brazil and the UK were also scuttled by narcotic officers at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.
    He said that the first bid was made on Friday Jan. 28 through the Skyway Aviation Handling Company Plc (SAHCO) export shed, where operatives intercepted 0.80kg of meth concealed in a hair relaxer plastic container bound for the UK.
    “A suspect, Akuta Lucy, who presented the consignment for search, had been arrested for further investigation.
    “The second attempt was on Friday, Feb. 4 during the outward clearance of passengers at Gate ‘C’ Departure hall of the airport.
    “This was when an intending male passenger on Ethiopian Airline heading to Brazil, Onyeaghala Chidi, was intercepted with 500gms of meth concealed inside three plastic hair relaxer containers,” he said.
    In a related development, Babafemi said that a male passenger, Iliyasu Yushau, from Kampala, Uganda via Nairobi, Kenya, was also arrested by NDLEA operatives with 268 debit cards at the airport.
    He said that the debit cards, belonging to Access Bank, GTBank and Zenith Bank, were seized during the inward clearance of the passengers on the flight on Sunday Jan. 30.
    Meanwhile, “In Edo state, operatives on Friday, Feb. 4 stormed the Igbogiri forest, Orhionwon LGA and destroyed four dry season Cannabis farms measuring 3.067718 hectares.
    “This followed the evacuation of 20 bags of compressed blocks of Cannabis weighing 269.5kg stored in a bush at Uzebba, Owan West LG, the previous day.
    “Also arrested was one Afadama James, 42, with 348kg cannabis at Owan, Ovia North East LGA on Wednesday Feb. 2, ” he said.
    Similarly, the NDLEA spokesperson said that operatives in Delta state arrested a 21-year-old student of Federal Polytechnic, Auchi, Kate Osagie, with over 17.6gms designer drugs she ordered from Onitsha, Anambra state.
    Babafemi added that NDLEA operatives in Borno state on Thursday, Feb. 3 also nabbed one Fatima Musa, 30, for attempting to smuggle pentazocine injections into the camp of surrendered insurgents.
    “In Plateau state, operatives intercepted a truck marked LSD857XB coming from Ekpoma, Edo state, with 885 blocks of cannabis sativa that weighed 736kg.
    “A N400,000 bribe paid to the arresting officers has also been warehoused as part of exhibits for prosecution.
    “Two suspects; Ebunoluwa Babalola, 40, and Sulyman Sheu, 30, were arrested at Ganmo, Ilorin, Kwara state, with 90kg of Cannabis,” he said.
    In the same vein, 2kg of Methamphetamine being brought to Abuja by a 29-year-old Charity Omuche from Anambra state, was equally intercepted on Friday, Feb. 4, by operatives at Gwagwalada area of the FCT.
    Babafemi said that officers of the Kaduna Command of the agency also arrested a suspect, Buhari Umar, with 300 shisha pens and 999 portions of synthetic cannabinoids with gross weight of 9.690kg,” he said.
    He quoted the Chairman, NDLEA, retired Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa, as commending the officers and men of the Lagos airport; Niger; Edo; Borno; Plateau; Kwara; FCT; and Delta Commands for the successful interdiction operations.
    He said that such operations led to the seizure of thousands of kilograms of illicit drugs from across the country in the past week, as he charged the operatives and their compatriots in other commands to be alive to their responsibilities.