The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Kano Strategic Command, has arrested 73 suspects and recovered various illicit drugs during a one-day intelligence-led operation across the state.

This is contained in a statement issued by the command’s Public Relations Officer, Sadiq Muhammad-Maigatari, on Thursday in Kano.

Mr Muhammad-Maigatari quoted the state commander, Dahiru Yahaya-Lawal, as saying that the arrests were made during a one-day operation conducted on June 10 under the ongoing “Operation Sharar Mafaka.”

Mr Yahaya-Lawal said the operation was part of the command’s sustained efforts to identify, dislodge and dismantle notorious drug joints across the state.

“Operatives raided the notorious Filin Mahaha drug den, the Sani Abacha Youth Centre, and locations in the Sheka area,” he said.

According to him, the operation followed credible intelligence on criminal activities and drug abuse patterns in the affected areas.

He said the command recovered illicit substances including cannabis sativa, diazepam, pregabalin, Exol-5 and a substance locally known as “suck and die,” along with other paraphernalia linked to drug distribution and use.

The commander added that the sustained use of the “dislodge-and-occupy” tactic was aimed at disrupting criminal activities and denying drug traffickers safe havens.

He reiterated the agency’s commitment to combating drug trafficking and abuse in the state.

“We will continue to dislodge and occupy these drug joints in line with the directive of our Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), until there is no safe place left for illicit drug activities.

“This operation demonstrates our commitment to safeguarding communities and disrupting the networks that fuel substance abuse and crime,” Mr Yahaya-Lawal said.

He called on members of the public to continue providing timely and actionable information to support the agency’s ongoing crackdown on illicit drug activities across the state.

 (NAN)