Operatives of the Imo state command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested 110 suspected drug traffickers.
Nse Jack, the NDLEA Commander, made the announcement at a press conference in Owerri, the capital of Imo state.
He said the command had also seized about 700 kg of cannabis, cocaine, heroin, tramadol, metaphitamin, rophynol, exol, vadum, and other substances.
Jack, who expressed regrets that many of the youths were drug abusers, said many hotels in the state served as convergence points for drug takers.
He advised hoteliers to prevent their properties from being used for illegal drug operations because failure to do that will make them culpable.
According to the commandant, Imo state has the highest frequency of drug misuse among states in the South East. Jack, however, noted that actions would be taken against those arrested with drugs.
He said, “They will be charged to court and when the court is through with them, most times the court send them to jail, and at this point, we apply to the court for permission to destroy the drugs publicly by burning because we don’t allow them to get back to the society.
“The agency’s task is divided into two principal functions; The drug supply reduction site which has to do with; arrests, seizures, prosecution, and confiscation, while the second one is the drug demand reduction site which is all about public enlightenment/ sensitization, drug education, seminars, among others.”
“The agency in Imo State is planning a lot of enlightenment campaign do discourage people from drug abuse during the ember month, as according to him, the issue of drug abuse has become a very serious problem in Nigeria that if nothing serious was done about it, has the potential of ruining the country.
“The law against drug abuse do not exempt anybody, as anyone caught engaging in illicit drug business will be prosecuted, no matter how highly placed.”
