The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested two grandfathers, aged 84 and 75, for allegedly selling illicit drugs to teenage secondary school students in Umuahia, Abia State.

Femi Babafemi, director of media and advocacy at the NDLEA, announced this in a statement in Abuja on Sunday.

Mr Babafemi said NDLEA operatives arrested the first suspect on Friday following credible intelligence that he was selling illicit substances to young students.

He said the suspect also sold to others in his patent medicine store located at 4 Club Road, Umuahia.

He added that 4.64kg of opioids, including tramadol and diazepam, were recovered from him during a search of his premises.

The second suspect, a pensioner involved in the illicit drug trade, was apprehended by security guards at Saint Silas Secondary School, Old Umuahia.

Mr Babafemi said the suspect was caught supplying illicit drugs to two teenage students (names withheld) at the school.

He added that the school guards handed them over to the police, who, in turn, transferred them to NDLEA on June 18.

“In his statement, one of the two teenagers, a 15-year-old SS2 student, claimed the 84-year-old grandfather supplied him with drugs, which he takes and also sells to fellow students.

“While the two grandpas are billed to have their day in court, the students have been placed on counselling and rehabilitation,” he said.

Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives have intercepted a consignment of ADB Chminaca, a synthetic cannabinoid classified as a dangerous new psychoactive substance, at a courier firm in Lagos.

Mr Babafemi said that the shipment from China, with a gross weight of 9.5 kg, was concealed in a carton.

“This was followed by another seizure on Tuesday, June 16, at a different logistics company in Lagos, where 300g of loud, a strong strain of cannabis, was found hidden in ladies’ handbags,” he said.

(NAN)