The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency seized N815.8 million worth of drugs between January and December 2024 in Abuja.

The FCT commander, Kabir Tsakuwa, disclosed this in an interview on Wednesday in Abuja.

Mr Tsakuwa said that the assorted illicit drugs seized in the year 2024 by the command was 10,356.027kg. He said the illicit drugs comprised 10,220.514kg of cannabis, 0.393kg of cocaine, 19.186kg of Diazepam, and 3.603kg of methamphetamine.

Other drugs intercepted are 5.730kg of Rohypnol, 104.285kg of tramadol, 2.18kg of Pentazocine, 0.136kg of ecstasy and 293.1 litres of codeine syrup.

Mr Tsakuwa said that the command had many seizures in the same year, adding that the most significant seizures were recorded within the period under review.

“sequel to intelligence-driven efforts, we recorded in February 2024, 676.5kg of cannabis sativa in a truck coming in from Akure in Ondo state. We equally had seizures of 1,961.5kg and 89.0 kg of cannabis sativa in the same month, which originated from Edo and Ondo states, respectively.

“In May 2024, we also recorded a significant seizure of 511 sacks of cannabis sativa, which weighed 4,752.0 kilograms of cannabis sativa. It was concealed in an LPG gas tank/trailer intercepted along the Abaji/Abuja highway, and arrests were made in connection with the seizure, and the truckload of cannabis came in from Ondo state precisely.

“In June 2024, we also recorded yet another significant seizure of 454 blocks of cannabis sativa, which weighed 340.8 kilograms. It was concealed in a white Nissan Hilux vehicle in the Kuje area of FCT. This time, the drug originated from Edo state,” he said.

In July of the same year, we also recorded a seizure of 1,132 bottles (113.2 litres) of codeine syrup alongside 18.0kg of assorted drugs comprising tramadol, Rohypnol and Diazepam coming in from Onitsha, Anambra.

In November 2024, we also recorded a seizure of 755.50kg of cannabis sativa in a truck which came in from Ogbese in Ondo. He said the street value of all the drugs seized in the year 2024 stands at an estimated value of N815,813,797.

He said all the cases, including others, were currently under prosecution.

Mr Tsakuwa added that many suspects were arrested and facing prosecution.

Mr Tsakuwa said the command secured the final forfeiture of the monetary exhibit recovered with the drug exhibit at the crime scene, which was abandoned, to the tune of N6,643,530.

“Similarly, a monetary exhibit of concluded drug cases forfeited was to the tune of N1,069,250,” the NDLEA officer stated. “These amounts, by order of court, are to be paid into the E-Collection account for onward transfer to the Central Bank of Nigeria.

(NAN)