Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have uncovered and dismantled a social media network used to distribute illicit substances packaged as imported Christmas cookies and snacks.

NDLEA’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, in a statement on Sunday in Abuja said two masterminds were detained after a raid on their hideout in the Lekki area of Lagos.

Mr Babafemi said the drug syndicate operated by the duo had imported consignments of Canadian Loud, a strong strain of cannabis and a variety of colourful designer sachets.

He said the substances were packaged in retail quantities using sachets printed with pictures and labels of cookies and snacks.

Mr Babafemi explained that following credible intelligence on the activities of the syndicate, which operated and distributed drugs through a WhatsApp platform, NDLEA operatives began tracking their movements.

He stated that the operatives eventually raided the syndicate’s apartment on Ojulari Street, in the Ikate area of Lekki, on November 22.

He added that a large quantity of the designer sachets and 5kg of Loud were recovered during the operation.

In another operation in Lagos, NDLEA operatives on November 27 arrested a 38-year-old drug kingpin while he was taking delivery of 110 pouches of Canadian Loud weighing 55.6kg at the Ladipo area of Mushin.

Mr Babafemi stated that three delivery vehicles were also seized from him at the time of his arrest.

Meanwhile, at a courier company in Lagos, 100 grams of Loud, concealed in a teddy bear imported from Thailand, were intercepted on November 27.

He stated that a consignment of 548 capsules of tramadol, hidden in bottles of Vitamin C and Magnesium, destined for the United Kingdom, was also recovered at another logistics firm on November 28.

He further disclosed that in Oyo State, NDLEA officers on patrol along the Lagos–Ibadan expressway on November 29 arrested a suspect with 8,000 ampoules of pentazocine injection.

“Other items recovered from the suspect were 590 bottles of codeine syrup, 1,500 pills of Co-codamol and 9,900 capsules of tramadol,” he said.

He added that no fewer than seven suspects were arrested on November 24 when NDLEA operatives raided the Ipe Forest in Akoko South-East area of Ondo State, where they recovered 3,077kg of skunk, a strain of cannabis.

Mr Babafemi added that another suspect was arrested along the Okene–Lokoja Highway in Kogi State on November 26 while conveying 649kg of skunk in a truck.

He said another suspect was arrested along the Okene/Lokoja highway, in Kogi state, ate conveying 649kg of skunk in a truck on November 26.

“NDLEA officers at the Seme Special Area Command on November 28 raided a warehouse at Ashipa, Seme border area of Badagry, Lagos.

“They arrested a suspect with 487 blocks of skunk weighing 243.5kg,” Mr Babafemi said.

In the same vein, in Kano, another suspect was arrested along the Zaria-Kano road with 137kg of skunk on November 24.

Mr Babafemi said three suspects were arrested on November 26 with 322 blocks of skunk weighing 209 kilograms at Fanshanu village, Toro Local Government Area of Bauchi State.

“A black Toyota Highlander jeep marked ABJ 533 EA used in conveying the consignment was also recovered from them,” he said.

Similarly, a suspect was arrested with 210.15kg of skunk along the Abuja/Jos highway on November 29.

Mr Babafemi said two suspects were nabbed along Abuja/Kaduna highway with 725 rounds of 7.62 mm live ammunition concealed in a sack of maize.

He said that another suspect was caught with 400 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition at Abuja/Kaduna tollgate on November  28.

(NAN)