President Goodluck Jonathan has commended the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for intercepting 233,699.875kg of narcotics in 2012, destruction of 1,404.27 hectares of cannabis plantation and the arrest of 8,052 suspected drug traffickers comprising 7,510 males and 542 females.
The president’s commendation was conveyed in a letter addressed to the Agency through the chairman, Alhaji Ahmadu Giade and signed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim.
The drug seizures, said to have a street value of over N33 billion, includes 228,794.13kg of cannabis, 3,905.447kg of psychotropic substances, 461.15kg of ephedrine, 211.325kg of heroin, 176.55kg of methamphetamine, 131.888kg of cocaine and 19.385kg of amphetamine.
In the year under review, the NDLEA was able to successfully prosecute 1,720 persons for various drug offences.
Senator Anyim stated that “I am to convey Mr. President’s commendation of the efforts of the NDLEA in combating the rising trend in the demand for and trafficking of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances in the country”.
