TheCable

The National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Kano state says it intercepted 856.078 kilograms of illicit drugs between September and October.

Ibrahim Abdul, the NDLEA Kano commander, told journalists on Thursday that the agency also discovered an illegal laboratory that produced cough syrup with codeine.

“We intercepted 644.893 kilograms of Cannabis sativa, 150.271 kilograms of psychotropic substance, 9.2 grams of cocaine, 2.5 grams of heroin and other substances weighing 60.900 kilograms,” he said.

According to him, the statistic represents a sharp decline of abuse and trafficking menace in the state, adding that the discovery of the illegal laboratory is part of NDLEA’s efforts at fighting drug abuse.

Abdul also disclosed that recent statistics on drug abuse and trafficking had put Kano state on the sixth position, as against the previous third-place rating.

He said during the period under review, no fewer than 50 hotspots were dislodged in more than 30 locations within and outside Kano metropolis.

The commander said 17 cases were charged to the court during the months under review, bringing the total pending cases to 89, while six convictions were secured.

“Also during the period, seven regular clients were admitted and two were discharged, while 57 drug users were referred for counselling,” he said.

He added that the command had achieved a lot, especially in the area of drug demand reduction.