The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Akwa Ibom, said it had arrested 92 drug suspects and seized 20.214 kg of illicit substances between March and April.
The State Commander, Mrs. Josephine Obi, who revealed this during an interaction with newsmen at the weekend in Uyo, said the suspects included 87 males and five females.
The breakdown of the substances showed that Cannabis Sativa was 20.125kg, Cocaine, 0.081kg, Heroin, 0.008kg and five abandoned seizures of Psychotropic substances weighing 0.55kg.
Others are one card of Tramadol and 63.5 litres of Combine (mixture of cannabis and alcohol).
She said that the command had counseled 41 drug peddlers in the state.
“The command delivered lectures against drug misuse and trafficking in illicit drugs in 48 schools and organisations as well as counseled 41 drug peddlers in the state,’’ she said.
The commander said out of the 92 persons arrested, eight had been convicted for dealing in socially-prohibited drugs between the periods.
She expressed worry that some of the convicted persons had served various terms in prison for similar offences.
Obi explained further that some dealers found it difficult to stop the illegal business even after serving their terms due to its lucrative nature.
According to her, the situations where most of the drug peddlers find it difficult to stop the illegal business have become a serious challenge to the agency.
She, however, attributed the huge successes recorded in the raids and destruction of drug joints leading to massive arrests of both dealers and users to the increased trained manpower in the command.
Obi reassured that the command would not relent in its efforts in the drug war to ensure the society was rid of the “heinous crime.’’ (NAN)
