A 50-year-old woman has been arrested by the Edo State command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency on Tuesday for allegedly attempting to traffic 40 kilogrammes of cannabis hidden in vegetables.
The suspect, Grace Menewe, who resides in Ibadan, Oyo State, was said to have been arrested along Uzebba-Ifon Road in the Owan West Local Government Area of Edo State.
Menewe was alleged to be on her way to Oyo State with the illicit drug before she was intercepted by the NDLEA operatives.
Four bags of dried weeds that tested positive for cannabis weighing 40kg were said to have been found in a consignment of vegetables like bitter leaf and pumpkin loaded in a vehicle.
The mother of seven, who hails from Izionum in the Ndokwa West Local Government Area of Delta State, was said to have claimed that she wanted to raise money from the supply of the drug to register her children for secondary school certificate examinations.
“I am a divorcee with seven children to cater to. I am struggling to give them good education so that they can be successful in life. This is my second trip.“My husband left me three years ago with seven children; that was what led me to this problem,” she was quoted to have said.
The state Commander of the NDLEA, Mr. Wakawa Buba, confirmed the arrest, in a statement signed by the command’s Public Relations Officer, Mr. Mitchell Ofoyeju.
Buba explained that the command was making efforts to arrest the cannabis dealer, who sold the substance to her, as well as other accomplices.
He said,
“This arrest is a product of motorised patrol embarked upon by the state command as a counter strategy to intercept illegal movement of narcotic drugs. The target is to promptly cut off supply and prevent drugs from getting to the end users.”“At age 50, she (suspect) is setting a bad example for her children. She will soon be charged to court.”