NDLEA Arrests 11, Intercepts 68 Bags Of Indian Hemp

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Wednesday in Abuja said it arrested 11 men who were allegedly transporting 68 bags of weeds suspected to be Indian Hemp.

The suspects were paraded at the FCT Command of the agency by the Commander, Mr Dennis Obiefule.

Obiefule said that two of them were arrested on Dec. 3 at Gwagwalada, FCT, with the exhibits weighing 4,229.09 kilogrammes.

He said that the suspects were arrested when an articulated vehicle conveying Guinness products was intercepted and checked by a patrol team of NDLEA officers in Abaji Area of the FCT.

``Upon the search, our men on patrol discovered that the driver and a conductor of the truck had concealed 68 bags of cannabis popularly called ``igbo’’ in the truck,’’ Obiefule said.

He said that further investigation, with the help of the driver and the conductor, led to the arrest of nine others suspected to be the owners of the exhibits.

According to him, three of the nine suspects denied their involvement in the crime, while six others agreed to have paid the driver to convey the cannabis from Ondo to the FCT.

The commander, who said the suspects would soon be prosecuted, added that the truck would be released to its owner at the end of the investigation.

Some of the suspects, who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), confirmed their involvement in the crime.

One of the suspects (name withheld) from Akwa Ibom, said he paid the driver N2,500 per bag for transportation from Ondo to Abuja.

The suspect, who said he was a palm oil dealer living in Lagos before his arrest, added that 147 kilogrammes of the Indian Hemp, belonged to him.

Two other suspects said they both had two bags each.

The driver of the truck claimed ignorance of the content of the bags, while his weeping conductor, said he was sleeping under the truck while the driver received the exhibits. (NAN)


source: leadership