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The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), yesterday, destroyed seized illicit drugs valued at N1 billion in Delta State.
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The drugs weighing 5,723.310kg were destroyed at Ogwashi-Uku in Aniocha South Local Council of the state.
The development followed an order of the Federal High Court, Asaba and Warri divisions, which mandated the agency to publicly destroy the illicit drugs in respect of cases that have been concluded from 2018 to 2022.
Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the agency, Major Gen. Buba Marwa (Retd.), said the destruction was dedicated to the late Ivan Omhonria, the two-year old minor, who was killed by stray bullet when operatives of NDLEA were pursuing drug dealers on last Thursday in Okpanam area of Delta State.
Marwa, who spoke through the commander in charge of Zone M, Fidelis Kokodia, expressed sadness over the tragic incident.
He said: “With a heavy heart, I wish to say that the public destruction of seized drugs in Delta State is dedicated to the minor that paid the supreme price with his life in the struggle towards making Delta State safe and secure through drug control activities. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of the hero of the drug war.”
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Delta State Commander of NDLEA, John Tunde, listed the destroyed drugs as 5.614 tonnes of Cannabis sativa, 416.77 grammes of cocaine, 105.12 grammes of methamphetamine, 98.2 grammes of heroin, 20.264 grammes of tramadol, 1.867kg of swinol/rophynol, 8.355kg of diazepam and 1.2kg of pentazocine.
Tunde regretted that Delta ranked first in drug abuse and illicit trafficking in the entire South-South, according to the 2018 United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) brief survey report.
“It is also worrisome to note that the largest, most sophisticated clandestine laboratory for the production of methamphetamine was discovered in Asaba, Delta State. This drug is very dangerous, addictive and lethal,” he added.
He appealed to the state government “to assist the Command in the area of logistics to enable officers carry out their mandate more effectively.”
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