NDLEA uncovers cannabis warehouse in Rivers, seizes N17m worth of illicit drugs

THE National Drug Law Enforcement Agency ( NDLEA) has uncovered a warehouse of compressed cannabis sativa in Abuja Estate of Port Harcourt metropolis, Rivers State. Based on a tip- off, officers of the agency stormed the warehouse in the early hours of Saturday and recovered 23 bags of compressed blocks of Cannabis sativa weighing 621 kilogrammes and 0.029kg of cocaine.

After evacuating the exhibits, the officers proceeded to Slaughter area of Trans Amadi, Port Harcourt, where they also recovered 0.006kg of heroin and 0.048kg of methamphetamine. The seized Cannabis sativa has been estimated to have a street value of over N17 million.

According to the Commander, Rivers NDLEA Command, Rachael Shelleng, three male suspects were apprehended in connection with the seizures and taken into custody for further investigation. She stated that both Abuja Estate and Slaughter areas of Port Harcourt had been identified as very notorious spots for illicit drug peddling, adding that the agency would stop at nothing to ensure that the black spots and indeed, the entire state, is sanitised of illicit drug menace.

While commending the commander, men and officers of the state command for the effort, Chairman/ Chief Executive of the anti- drug agency, Brig. General Mohamed Buba Marwa ( rtd), directed them and their colleagues across all the states in the country and special commands to intensify the heat and take the battle to the criminals’ hideouts.

“With the support of all stakeholders, this war is winnable. The arrest few days ago in Lagos of a suspect who has been on the run for over 10 years confirms that the maxim of the new NDLEA, that the criminals can only run, they can’t hide, is working, because we will smoke them out of their hiding places,” he stated.