TheCable

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) command in Cross River says 223 suspected drug dealers were arrested in the state between January and December. 

According to NAN, Rachael Umebuali, the commandant of NDLEA in Cross River, 2.05 tons of hard drugs, were also seized in the state.

Umebuali said the suspects were 22 females and 201 males.

In the breakdown of the seized drugs, the commandant said there were 1.64 tons of cannabis, 3.5 grams of cocaine, 4.3 gram of heroin, 81.9 grams of methamphetamine, and 410.2kg of psychotics.

Umebuali said the command also secured the conviction of some suspects while some were discharged and acquitted by the courts.

She bemoaned rising cases of drug abuse among the youths, adding that vehicles and motorbikes are used mostly by peddlers for transporting banned substances.

She said despite some obvious challenges, the command was still able to record huge success in the outgoing year.

The commandant said the command hopes for a better performance in the coming year.

“Our operations are hampered primarily by inadequate operational vehicles, inaccessible and bad roads, especially, during rainy season, cultism and communal crisis,” she said.