The operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have nabbed three women and two men were, an alleged five-member online drug trafficking cartel selling drugged cookies, cakes, brownies and other illicit substances to residents of Abuja and beyond.
Spokesman of NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, in a statement on Sunday, indicated that the syndicate was busted in two day sting operation carried out by its operatives in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
“Five members of the organised drug criminal group were arrested during sting operations carried out between Friday, May 7 and Saturday, May 8, 2021 by officers of the FCT Command of the agency during which different brands of illicit drugs were recovered from them, the statement, said.
It added: “The nabbed drug dealers include Queen Nvene, Collins Ozoemena, Samson Peter, Chika Nvene and Habila Musa. The group specialises in clandestine production of drug-based cookies, brownies and other edibles; markets and sells same online through Twitter and Instagram handles.
“It also markets and sells all types of marijuana, Arizona, Colorado and Loud, among other illicit drugs, online.
“Members of the cartel operate from different locations within the Federal Capital Territory, but operate as a network.
“Their arrest followed online orders of drug-based edibles by undercover agents. Supplies of brownies and cookies were delivered and received from different SK Express dispatch riders at various times by narcotic operatives before the final sting operation.”
Stating the roles of each of the members of the alleged cartel, Babafemi, said, while one of the Nvenes, a graduate of Business Administration, produces drugged cookies and brownies and sells same on Instagram, Ozoemena sells all types of illicit drugs, especially Loud and skunk, online.
Peter was said to be the manager of SK Express Courier Company, which manages motorcycles and dispatch riders to deliver illicit drugs from Ozoemena and drugged edibles from Queen and Chika, who are sisters.