The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), yesterday, offered reasons why its operatives raided and sealed Diplomatic Suite Hotel, Asokoro, Abuja, in a joint operation with men of the Department of State Services (DSS).
The agency in a statement yesterday said the operation was meant to stop a cannabis party and the launch of a suspected new psychoactive drink.
According to the statement signed by the agency’s Director, Media & Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, about 200 attendees, including three young ladies, who organized the hemp party are currently being profiled and interviewed while bottles of the new drink have been taken for laboratory analysis.
He stressed that the hotel was raided at about 8:18 p.m. on Wednesday, April 20, following actionable intelligence that some youths were planning to hold a hemp party at the hotel. “Quantities of cannabis Sativa were recovered from the pockets and bags of those arrested at the hemp party.
“The audacious party no doubt is part of attempts by some elements to create a drug subculture in the Nigerian social space. “The NDLEA will however continue to work with other security agencies and relevant stakeholders to ensure abuse of illicit substances is not allowed to get entrenched in the country under any guise,” the statement added.
Ada Peter
