NDLEA UNCOVERS CLANDESTINE DRUG LAB, MAKES MAJOR SEIZURES ACROSS NIGERIA

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have uncovered a clandestine laboratory used for the production of a potent synthetic strain of cannabis known as Colorado. The lab was located in a residential building at Ajao Estate, Isolo, Lagos. The agency revealed that the operation was the culmination of months of intelligence gathering on locally produced Colorado, after several intercepted consignments earlier in the year indicated that the psychoactive substance, once imported, was now being manufactured domestically.

The raid, executed on October 30, led to the arrest of 30-year-old Stephen Kelechi Imoh, the alleged owner of the laboratory. Recovered from the building were substantial quantities of drugs and precursor chemicals, including 16.2 kilograms of freshly cooked Colorado, 1.7kg of ADB-CHMNACA Cannabinol, 4.5kg of Potassium Carbonate, and 91 litres of Dibromobutane.

In a separate operation in Mushin, Lagos, NDLEA officers arrested 28-year-old Afeez Salisu, also known as Malu, on November 1. They seized 16.4kg of Ghana Loud and Colorado variants of cannabis from his enclave.

Another major breakthrough occurred at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport where a 20-year-old music artist, Godspower George Osahenrumwen, who performs as Steady Boy, was arrested. He was apprehended while attempting to take delivery of a consignment of Loud cannabis concealed in three imported bathtubs from the United States. The drugs weighed 77.2kg and were traced to a syndicate allegedly led by his manager, Zion Osazee Omigie, also known as Zee Money, who is currently at large.

Across the country, NDLEA operatives recorded several other significant seizures and arrests. In Kaduna State, they intercepted 84,710 tramadol capsules en route from Onitsha to Bauchi and arrested 27-year-old Musa Abdulkarim. Another suspect, 47-year-old Hamza Musa, was caught with 32,946 bottles of a new psychoactive substance, Akuskura, while 30-year-old Saidu Nafiu was nabbed with 131.5kg of skunk in Igabi LGA.

In Ogun State, a total of 1,779kg of skunk was recovered from three suspects: Seun Olaniyi, aged 24; Rauf Asogba, aged 28; and Ayinla Adeniyi, aged 50, in Abeokuta. Edo State saw the interception of two Sienna buses conveying 1,455kg of skunk at Uhunmwode LGA. Operatives in Ondo State seized 2,829kg of skunk from a female suspect, Mrs. Ige Olarewaju, and another 737kg from Samuel Adebayo.

In Kwara State, 532,600 pills of tramadol and exol-5 were recovered from a truck in Ilorin. Taraba State operatives seized 30,370 pills of tramadol and 177 grams of methamphetamine from two suspects conveying the drugs from Onitsha to Yola. In Bauchi State, 596.4kg of skunk was recovered from 46-year-old Jamilu Mustapha in Ningi LGA. In the Badagry area of Lagos, 76.5 litres of skuchies, a cocktail of skunk, opioids and blackcurrant, were recovered from 50-year-old Ige Oluwale.

Meanwhile, the NDLEA said its War Against Drug Abuse sensitization activities continued across schools, religious centres, and communities nationwide. Commending the officers for their resilience and professionalism, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd.), reaffirmed the agency’s resolve to dismantle all drug cartels operating within Nigeria.

“We will continue to deny drug syndicates the benefits of their criminal enterprise and ensure the forfeiture of their assets to the Federal Government,” Marwa said.