The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested an alleged notable producer of a new psychoactive substance, popularly called Akuskura, with 26,600 bottles of illicit substances.

The spokesman for NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, said in a statement on Sunday in Abuja that the suspect was arrested on September 13.

Mr Babafemi said the suspect, Qasim Ademola, was arrested by anti-narcotic officers with the Akuskura substances meant for distribution across northern states.

He said the consignment was seized along Zaria-Kano road, Gadar Tamburawa, Kano.

He added that the 39-year-old proprietor from the Akinyele Local Government Area of Oyo State, and three of his distributors, were arrested in follow-up operations.

In another development, NDLEA operatives intercepted a drug trafficker, Chukwu Kingsley, on his way to Rome, Italy, on an Asky Airline Flight.

Mr Babafemi said a search of his luggage showed he had concealed among food condiments 11,460 tablets of tramadol 225 my, with a gross weight of 5.7kg and 39 bottles of Codeine Syrup.

He said the 49-year-old suspect was a known haulage agent who hailed from the Oru West Local Government Area of Imo.

Also, at the Lagos airport, a freight agent, Lawal Adeyemi, was arrested the same day for attempting to export some sachets of lexotan, among other non-controlled drugs, to Liberia.

Mr Babafemi said the NDLEA operatives equally seized 593.90 kilograms of khat leaf at the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) import shed of the airport on September 15.

This, he said, was after a joint examination of the cargo by a combined team of security agencies.

Mr Babafemi said the chairman, NDLEA, Buba Marwa, commended the officers of the command and their counterparts in Lagos and Kano for their vigilance and resilience.

Mr Marwa charged them and others across the country to remain focused as they discharge their responsibilities. 

(NAN)