Indian hemp packaged as Bible, Quran to fool operatives

The Lagos State Police Command has smashed a syndicate, which specialised in packaging Indian hemp into a shape of Holy Bible and Quran to fool security officers.

The syndicate was smashed on February 18, 2018 by operatives attached to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

Those arrested in connection with the crime have been identified as Deji Odeyemi, Deji Amosun and Seriki Sodiq.

The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Edgal Imohimi disclosed that the suspects were in possessions of 183 wrapped of pawpaw shaped India hemp, 129 packaged Indian hemp shaped as Holy Bible and Quran and assorted hard drugs concealed inside bottles.

Imohimi said: “On February 18, 2018, around 12:40pm, information reached SARS commander that a group of cultists gathered at the Akala Idi Oro Area of Mushin, planning to unleash terror on the innocent community. Without delay, the SARS commander led teams of operatives to the scene, where the three aforesaid suspects were arrested. A search warrant was conducted in their ghetto wooden shop, where the exhibits were recovered.”

The suspects, on the other hand, have vehemently denied all allegations leveled against them.

One of the suspects, Seriki, 25, who claimed to be a graduate of Osun State University and currently a Masters’ student at the University of Lagos, said he was implicated.

He explained: “The truth is that we are being implicated in a crime we know nothing about. Police know those involved in this matter. I’ve never used any sort of hard drugs. I’m just a victim of circumstance. I was at the wrong place, at the wrong time. The police had been looking for whom to pin the crime on. We were just unfortunate. We were not given the chance to say anything. We were denied access to speak to our families, who came to look for us. I still attended lectures that Saturday morning before I was arrested around 2pm along with my friends.”

However, Amosun, who is from Badagry, Lagos State, residing at Ikorodu, also gave an account that they were preparing for their friend Seun’s child naming ceremony when they were arrested.

Amosun said: “I came to visit my friend in Mushin. We had a naming ceremony to attend, so we went to a boutique to get the clothes we would wear for the ceremony. That was where we were arrested by the police that raided the area. We asked them why we were arrested, but we were not told anything. We were not even allowed to see or speak with our relatives.”

Another suspect, Odeyemi 25, also denied knowing anything about the items.

His words: “We are not the owners of these packs of Indian hemp. We were arrested because police couldn’t find the real culprits. The real culprits are out there. If only they could give us a chance to speak with the commissioner of police, I know he will hear us out. But we were denied access to virtually everybody.”