Pubdate: Tue, 21 Oct 2003
Source: This Day (Nigeria)
Copyright: 2003 This Day.
Contact:  http://www.thisdayonline.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2870
Author: Onwuka Nzeshi

NDLEA ARRESTS 31 OVER DRUG OFFENCES

National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Delta State Command has 
arrested 31 suspects for various drug offences in the last one month.

The agency commander in the state, Mr Aju Ameh who disclosed this yesterday 
said the suspects were apprehended in various locations with a total of 
525.39kg of cannabis, 100 pinches of cocaine and 99 pinches of heroin found 
in their possession.

Ameh noted that with the onset of the dry season, indian hemp farmers 
around the area were visibly preparing to harvest the offensive weed and 
commence its trafficking, adding that the agency had mapped out strategies 
to check the activities of these farmers and traffickers.

He, therefore, called for a closer working relationship between the NDLEA 
and the security agencies especially the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), 
stressing that tackling the hydra-headed problems of drug abuse, illicit 
trafficking in drugs and trade in psychotropic substances needed a 
concerted effort of everyone member of the public.

Ameh said the agency are proposing an inter-security arrangement whereby 
the security agencies could exchange vital information and logistics in the 
task of combating crime, especially in the area of drug abuse.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has had a running battle with 
local hemp farmers and the traffickers over the years, a situation that has 
cost the agency the loss of its men and materials.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman