Pubdate: Sun, 28 Dec 2003
Source: This Day (Nigeria)
Copyright: 2003 This Day.
Contact:  http://www.thisdayonline.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2870
Author: Oghenekevwe Laba

NDLEA IMPOUNDS 2.3M KG OF DRUGS IN 9 MONTHS

Lagos

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency impounded no fewer than 2.3m
hard drugs and destroyed 359,202 hectares of cannabis farms in Ondo,
Edo and Delta States, between the month of January and October 2003.
Just as it arrested 2,317 drug suspects. and prosecuted 732 of them
within the period.

Revealing this information to THISDAY the Agency's Public Relation
Officer (PRO) Mr. Jonah Achema, stated that his organisation has been
effective in its war against drug peddling over the year as it set out
to block both the sea, airport and land route used for the smuggling
of hard drugs into the country.

In his words, " Among the drugs impounded, cannabis was 530,429,
cocaine 130,972, heroin 67,489 while other hard drugs amount to
936,805. Our success in achieving this feat was as a result of the
blockade of the sea port, airport and land route used for the
smuggling of the hard drugs into the country by vigilant officers."

Beside impounding this huge numbers of hard drugs within this period,
the NDLEA spokesman stated that the agency had been able to sanitise
all the venerable avenue of money laundering by organising seminars in
the banking sectors, Bureaux de change and courier services operators
adding that the successful arrest and drug seizure is as a result of
effective coverage of the nation by the agency.

Achema explained that the re-organisation of the command by phasing
out of zonal command structure in place of state command structure was
another factor contributing to the effectiveness of the agency in
combating hard drugs.

" Before now, two or more state formed a zonal command structure. But
presently, each state stand as a command under a zonal commander. The
Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has its own command. Besides all the
land boarders and sea ports have also been created as command of their
own. This new arrangement has created room for effective coverage",
the PRO explained.

He pointed out that the Agency is entering the new year with a lot of
zeal and determination as they have mapped out a new offensive against
Indian hemp smoking as they will begin to comb all the joints to
arrest the dealers, cut the source of supply and create rehabilitation
homes for the junkies. 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake