Troops of the Nigerian Army attached to 192 Battalion, operating in 81 Division Area of Responsibility have intercepted a truck loaded with 397 wraps of substance suspected to be marijuana in Ogun State.

The truck, was intercepted and impounded, alongside two suspects conveying the illegal drugs during a stop and search operations at Ajilete Road in Yewa South Local Government Area of the state.

The suspects who are said to be members of an international drug syndicate were identified as Matthew Edegbe, a Benin Republic national and Joshua Dansu of Idiroko.

Both of them are currently assisting the Army in ongoing investigations.

“Troops of 192 Battalion Nigerian Army operating in 81 Division Area of Responsibility have again on Tuesday 18 July 2023 intercepted a suspected international drug syndicate smuggling a truck load of substance suspected to be Cannabis Sativa (Marijuana) en route Sango Otta in Ogun State.

“Responding to actionable intelligence, troops conducted stop and search operations along Ajilete Road in Yewa South Local Government Area of Ogun State, during which they intercepted and impounded the suspected truck without Registration number, loaded with 397 wraps of substance suspected to be marijuana.

“In the preliminary investigations that followed, it was revealed that the illicit substance concealed in the truck were transported from Ghana through Benin Republic via Igholo-Idiroko enroute Sango Otta.

“The suspects conveying the illegal drugs have been identified as Mr Matthew Edegbe, a Benin Republic national and Mr Joshua Dansu of Idiroko, who are currently assisting in ongoing investigations,” a statement by the Director Army Public Relations, Brigadier General, Onyema Nwachukwu, said on Wednesday.

“Items recovered from the suspects include the truck’s registration number identified as (T 1826 LA Lagos), which was detached and concealed in the vehicle to prevent identification, an Infinix and Itel phone, one iphone, a Benin Republic National Identification card and a Driver’s license belonging to one George Benyagbe, as well as the sum of Seven Thousand Naira (N7000) only.

“The suspects, vehicle and exhibits have been taken into custody, pending handing over to National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Lagos State Command,” the statement added.

It would be recallef that troops of the Battalion had on July 15, also intercepted a truck load of over 20,000 cartridges of ammunition heading to Anambra state.