NDLEA destroys 560,068kg cocaine, cannabis in Lagos

Over 560,068.31414 kilograms of assorted illicit drugs were on Thursday 4th August 2022 set ablaze by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, the largest to be destroyed in the 32-year history of the anti-narcotic agency.

Leading other top officials of NDLEA, other security agencies and members of the public in the burning of heaps of the illicit drugs, NDLE Boss, Brig. Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (Retd) said the exercise is a strong message to drug barons and cartels that theyll continue to lose their huge investments in the criminal trade if they fail to back out and look for other legitimate businesses.

A breakdown of the 560,068.31414 kilograms of the illicit substances burnt at a brief ceremony in Badagary area of Lagos include: 7,414.519kg cocaine; 161,206kg heroin; 1,144.8kg methamphetamine; 60,144kg ephedrine; 311,416.19162kg cannabis sativa; 10,091.83kg khat; 273.223kg tramadol; 0.000170kg benylin with codeine and 8,207.7505kg of other psychotropic substances, which were seized by the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) command; Lagos state command; and the Seme Special Area command from persons convicted and sentenced by the Federal High Court as well as abandoned seizures.

Speaking at the ceremony, Gen. Marwa said, “It is gratifying to know that our drug law enforcement efforts are not in vain.

” Our efforts not only resulted in the seizure of the aforementioned drugs but also culminated in the arrest, prosecution and conviction of the offenders in court. 

“Since January 2021, we have arrested over 17,647 drug offenders of which 2,385 have been convicted in court.

” In the process, we have seized over 3.5 million kilos of assorted drugs. The business of today is yet another indication that officers and men of NDLEA are not relenting in the pursuit of the Agencys mandate to make Nigeria safe.”