More than 400 kilogrammes of cocaine, heroine and other hard drugs have been confiscated by the Kwara State command of National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency this month alone, The Herald learnt yesterday.

A suspect simply identified as Muri was arrested in connection with the hard drugs and now cooling his feet in the detention facility of the agency in Ilorin, the state capital. The arrest was consequent upon a tip off to the agency.

In the same vein, another drug cartel that specialized in cannabis supply was also nabbed by the agency. A J-5 vehicle loaded with sacks of oranges but concealed with cannabis was also intercepted.

This came as the state commander of NDLEA, Mr Reuben Abeh, raised alarm yesterday over the increasing wave of crime in the state, which he attributed to high level of hard drug consumption.

Abeh, who disclosed this when he played host to the state commissioner for Information and Communications, Mr Mahmud Babatunde Ajeigbe, in his office, added that the state has assumed a dangerous record as haven of drug dealers and consumers.

"The recent record has shown that in terms of drug abuse and trafficking, the state (Kwara) is going from better to worse", he said.

The NDLEA boss, however said no amount of arrest and incarceration could put a stop to the menacing situation of drug trafficking, pointing out that there was urgent need to embark on enlightenment campaign.

He stated that the campaign, if intensified, would discourage the abusers and traffickers.

Abeh also noted that the best way to bring the monster of drug trafficking to destruction was for all stakeholders to show the will to fight it. He told the commissioner how his men escaped death when they descended on drug traffickers den in Bani, Kaiama Local Government Area of the state.

The state Information commissioner had earlier called for adequate personnel into the agency to enable it combat the menace of drug abuse and trafficking.

He also stressed the need to re-orientate the people on indiscipline, which he described as a major rot in the society.

Ajeigbe said the NDLEA has a prominent role to play in addressing the issue of indiscipline across board.