The officers and men of Western Marine Command of Nigeria Customs Service had on Thursday 7th September 2023 handed over 103 sacks containing 8,240 parcels of cannabis sativa also known as marijuana and 23,000 capsules of 100mg of tramadol to National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for further action.
The Area Controller in charge of the command, Comptroller O.A Salefu disclosed at the handling over that about 0.400hrs on Thursday 3rd of August the command received a credible intelligence upon a follow up on one of it’s numerous lead that a crime was about to be committed.
Comptroller Salefu revealed that his officers got information of attempt to snuggle a large shipment of Cannabis Sativa into the country through the western waterways from a neighbouring country.
According to the Area Controller, the command immediately assembled a joint patrol Team of Marine patrol Officers and set out towards the Ibeju Lekki Deep Sea costal water where they intercepted and arrested one wooden boat with two (2) Yamaha outboard engines (40hp each) loaded with 103 sacks of substances suspected to be Cannabis Sativa.
He disclosed that the evil perpetrators abandoned their boat for their safety when they realized their covers had been bursted “The smugglers upon sighting our patrol Team dived into the water and abandoned their Boat with all the items in it which was immediately brought to Western Marine Command Headquarters Ibafon APAPA and found to contain 8,240 parcels (loaves) of Cannabis Sativa having a total weight of 3,811 kg.
” The duty paid value of the cannabis sativa stands at N692,160,000 (Six hundred and Ninety Two Million, One Hundred and sixty thousand naira only) with a total weight of 3,811 kilograms while the duty paid value of the means of conveyance and two Yamaha outboard engines of 40 horse power each stands at N7,350,000 (Seven million, three hundred and fifty thousand naira only). Giving a combined duty paid value of N699,510,000 for the entire seizure”.
The marine anti smuggling czar stressed the command readiness to stand as the frontier along the waterways in guarding the Nation under very strenuous and challenging circumstances against illicit and illegal trade that brings injuries to the economy and health in the cause of it’s trade facilitation.
He added that the inordinate quest by citizens to get rich by any means necessary fuels the menace of smuggling. “Citizens must understand that smuggling is injurious to our economy and smuggling of hard drugs has even more devastating effect on our health and the economy” Comptroller Salefu said.
While receiving the seized drugs from customs, the Natural Drug Law Enforcement Agency Commander under Marine, Paul Ahom expressed satisfaction over the seizures made by officers and men of the marine customs command.
Highpoints of the handling ceremony was the letter of commendation presented to five personnel involved in the seizures.and signing of the handing over document between the two agencies of government.