By Ayodele Popoola

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Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have arrested five suspects in  possession of over 628 bottles of psychoactive substance, skuchies in Idanre, Ondo State.

The suspects are Olamide Olusola, 26,; Abiodun Tijani, 21; Fatope Temidayo, 29; Agba Obi, 30 and Olafisoye Festus, 26.

A statement released on Sunday by the agency spokesperson, Femi Babafemi said the suspects were arrested when the operatives raided a popular drug joint in the town.

In another development, the agency said it has also intercepted a large consignment of methamphetamine concealed in powdered custard containers as part of a consolidated cargo going to London, United Kingdom at the SAHCO export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja Lagos.

The illicit drug consignment weighing 30.10 kilograms with a street value of N567 million.

This was swiftly followed by a series of follow-up operations that led to the arrest of a freight agent, Nwobodo Chidiebere; a female suspect, Chioma Lucy Akuta and ultimately the drug lord behind the shipment, Charles Chinedu Ezeh, who was arrested at Sotel Suites, Amuwo Odofin, Lagos on Thursday 18″ May.

Ezeh claims he’s a businessman and deals in articles in Onitsha, Anambra State but investigations revealed he lived with his wife and children in London until December 10, 2022 when he fled to Nigeria after his involvement in a drug-related offence in the UK.

Though he claimed to have been living in hotels since his return to Nigeria last December, operatives were however able to locate his mansion at No. 1 Hawawu Abikan Street, Lekki where a search was conducted and his travel and property documents among others were recovered.

Meanwhile, in Oyo state, two suspects: Osas Susan, 35, and Thomas Biodun, 23, were arrested at Igbon, Gambari in Ogbomoso North LGA with 2.13kg cannabis while Idris Muhammed, 55, was nabbed with 4,500 pills of tramadol when a commercial bus Conveying him and other passengers was stopped and searched along Lagos-Ibadan expressway.

Similarly, Bulus Mikah, 63, was arrested at Kafanchan, Kaduna state with over 5kg opioids including tramadol, diazepam, Rohypnol and excel-5, just as a total of 965kg cannabis was seized from Shehu Muhammadu Dandare, 25, at Maraban Jos, in Igabi local government area of the state.

While 552kg cannabis was recovered from a warehouse in a bush when operatives stormed and destroyed 1.5 hectares of cannabis farm in Uhodoua forest, Esan South East LGA, Edo state, 10 suspects were arrested with a total of 5.587kg cannabis sativa, 144.4grams of methamphetamine and 48, 260 capsules of tramadol in different parts of Onitsha, Anambra state on Friday May 19.