NDLEA Seizes N542 Billion Drugs, Arrests 12,304 Persons

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has put the value of hard drugs seized and cannabis farms destroyed in 2014 at a whooping N542 billion.

Chairman and Chief Executive of the Agency, Ahmadu Giade gave the figure yesterday in Abuja at the celebration of the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.

According to him, the agency arrested and questioned 12,304 persons in connection with hard drugs in the past 17 months.

Within the same period, 2,800 persons have been convicted in court for drug offences. 2,054 were convicted in 2014 while 783 persons have been convicted between January and May this year. The NDLEA boss noted that the country was able to have a peaceful general election earlier this year because his agency was able to stop the enormous quantity of hard drugs from entering into the system. He explained that if that amount of drugs had got into the system, the elections would have been violent.

“This huge amount is mind blowing and has the capacity to derail the most credible election. Such proceeds could be used to either subvert the wishes of the electorates or instigate upheavals. We shall continue to incapacitate and dislodge drug cartels”, he said.