Officials of National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have reportedly intercepted a trailer loaded with 24,000 bottles of cough syrups containing codeine in Funtua local government area of Katsina State. According to NAN, the NDLEA State Commandant, Hajiya Maryam Gambo Sani disclosed this during a press briefing on Tuesday in Katsina.
The Commandant disclosed that six persons were arrested in connection with the drug cargo. According to her, those arrested were the driver of the vehicle, his assistant and two conductors. She listed other people arrested to include the manager of SUNGLOW EQUITY NIG LTD who is suspected to be owner of the drugs and the salesman of the company.
Sani said that the trailer came from Onitsha stressing that the suspects would be charged to court for prosecution.
Relatedly, the Commandant said twelve students have been arrested for drug related offences. She listed the items seized from the students to include 159 bottles of cough syrups with codeine, 160.6 grams of cannabis sativa and 50.7 grams of Rohypnol (Rochee).
She also said that a total of 186 persons were apprehended between January and March, 2018, for drugs related offences in the state. She further disclosed that 57.8 kilograms of assorted hard drugs and 25,254 bottles of cough syrups with codeine were seized from the suspects.
She added that 8.4489 kilograms of psychotropic substances were seized from the suspects during the period under review. She appealed to the public to continue to assist the command in its efforts of fight against drug abuse and trafficking.
