Two drug peddlers, Ihenacho Chinweuba, 27 and 33-year-old Uche Enuosa have been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, in Ogun State while attempting to sell 295 bags of cannabis valued at N35m.
It was learnt that the NDLEA apprehended the two suspects in the Ijebu Igbo area of the state while taking the suspected banned substance to some parts of the state and Lagos.
The suspects were said to have loaded a truck with bags of the drug, and covered them with some cartons of biscuits to evade arrest but luck, however, ran out on them as an NDLEA team in Ijebu Igbo, acting on a tip-off flagged down the truck.
Both men were said to have admitted to the crime saying they took to drug peddling due to unemployed, adding that they wanted to raise money for the Yuletide celebration and make their families happy.
One of the suspects, Chinweuba, a native of Isiala-Ngwa Local Government Area, Abia State, said the expected proceed from the drug was his last hope.
He said, “I am married with children. I have not bought anything for my family this season. It was joblessness that made me to deal in hemp. All my hope was on this cannabis shipment because I know that if we were successful, I would have made my family happy. The cartons of biscuits were to hide the drugs but it is unfortunate that we were arrested and my dream is shattered.”
Confirming the arrest, the State Commander of NDLEA, Bala Fagge, said the truck had been impounded, adding that the suspects were assisting the command with its investigations.
“A white Mercedes truck with number plate, Lagos KJA 132 XN, was intercepted in the Ijebu Igbo area, in the Ijebu North Local Government Area of Ogun State. The truck, carrying biscuits and cheese balls, was found to contain 295 big bags of dried cannabis sativa weighing 3,542.2 kilograms. The two suspected traffickers were immediately apprehended and are currently assisting further investigation.
“The suspects will soon be charged to court and if convicted, could get life imprisonment,” he said.
