Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), at the weekend, busted an online drug trafficking cartel that sells drugged cookies, cakes, brownies and all sorts of illicit substances to residents of the FCT and beyond using cyberspace as its platform.
Five members of the cartel were arrested during sting operations between Friday, May 7 and Saturday, May 8, 2021, by officers of the FCT command of the agency and different brands of illicit drugs were recovered from them.
The spokesman of NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, gave the names of the five arrested drug dealers as Queen Nvene, Collins Ozoemena, Samson Peter, Chika Nvene and Habila Musa.
According to him, the group specialises in the clandestine production of drug-based cookies, brownies and other edibles and markets and sells same online through their Twitter and Instagram handles.
He further said, “They also market and sell all types of marijuana; Arizona, colorado and loud, among other illicit drugs online.
“While Queen Nvene, a graduate of Business Administration, produces drugged cookies and brownies and sells same on Instagram, Collins Ozoemena sells all types of illicit drugs, especially loud and skunk online.
“Samson Peter on the other hand is the Manager of SK Express Courier Company who manages motorcycles and dispatch riders to deliver illicit drugs from Collins and drugged edibles from Queen and Chika; both sisters. Members of the cartel operate from different locations within the FCT, but operate as a network.”
He said their arrest followed online orders of drug-based edibles by undercover agents and that supplies of were delivered and received from different SK Express dispatch riders at various times by narcotic operatives before the final sting operation.
He quoted the FCT Commander of the NDLEA, Mohammed Malami Sokoto, as saying that follow up raids of their locations in Gudu, Kubwa, Lokogoma, Apo and Damagaza, all in Abuja, led to the seizure of the illicit substances.
He explained that 55 pieces of drugged edibles, 1.3kg of skunk used as an ingredient for making the cookies and brownies; among others, were seized from Queen; while 0.9g ecstasy, popularly called molley, 300g of skunk and 200g of loud were recovered from Collins; and 300g of skunk were seized from Chika.
Other items recovered from the syndicate include a dispatch motorcycle, various equipment for producing cookies and brownies, 10 handsets and two laptops used for online transactions.
Babafemi said under interrogation the suspects confessed to have a large platform of customers who ordered for drugs and drug-based edibles on daily basis for parties and ceremonies in and outside Abuja, and that they had been in the business for three years.
Meanwhile, operatives of the Ondo State Command of the agency has intercepted and seized 60kg of cannabis.
In the process, 29-year-old Emmanuel Utaji was arrested on Matado Street in Akure South Local Government Area.
The acting Commander of the agency in the state, Callys Alumona, disclosed that the location was raided at about 9.pm and that the suspect was arrested when the consignment was to be evacuated and taken outside the state.
In the same vein, a drug dealer and suspected armed robber, Sanusi Abdullahi, was arrested by officers of the Rivers State Command at Iroko village and 15.8kg of skunk and 16 SIM cards were recovered from him on Saturday.
The state Commander of NDLEA, Rachael Shelleng, said further investigation would unravel other criminal activities perpetrated by the suspect.
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