Augustine Egwutu and Gabriel Orji with some of the bags of Indian hemp discovered at the warehouse

Jethro Ibileke/Benin

The Edo State Command of the Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has announced the discovery of a warehouse where large quantities of Indian hemp are kept before being transported to buyers in different parts of the country.

Mr. Wakawa Bubs, the State Commander of NDLEA, who announced the discovery in a statement he issued in Benin, said the warehouse is located in a thick forest in Ugbubezi village, Owan West local government area of the State.

Buba put the estimated worth of the cannabis sativa found in the warehouse at over N20 million and weighed about 1,996 kg, kept 34 compressed bags and 94 bags of dried weeds.

He said the discovery which also led to the arrest of two suspects, was made possible through hard work and intelligence report, adding that efforts are on to track fleeing members of the drug cartel.

He gave the names of the arrested suspects as Augustine Egwutu (45) and Gabriel Orji (38

“Working on intelligence, we successfully traced a major cannabis warehouse located at Ugbubezi forest. Two suspects were arrested and are currently undergoing interrogation. The Command has spread its drag net to apprehend other members of the cannabis cartel and other drug traffickers in Edo state,” Buba said.

He reiterated the agency’s preparedness to stem the tide of trafficking and use of illicit drugs in the State.