…Intercepts 505 bags of rice worth N59 million
The Western Marine Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, yesterday handed over 17 sacks containing 1,257 loaves of cannabis sativa otherwise known as Marijuana worth over N96 million to the officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA.
The Customs Area Controller of the command, Comptroller Paul Bamisaiye who performed the hand over at the Western Marine Command headquarters in Lagos, also conducted journalists round the 505 bags of 50kg parboiled rice worth N59 million intercepted by the command within the period under review.
Giving details of the seizures, Comptroller Bamisaiye disclosed that the 1,257 loaves of cannabis sativa had a combined weight of 720kg.
According to him, “At about 23:00hrs on Wednesday 15th May, 2024, a patrol team of officers and men of the Western Marine Command at the Bar Beach station received credible intelligence on movement of a boat on the high sea along the beach location carrying items suspected to be offending items.
“Upon receiving this information, the team moved towards the described location and intercepted one fibre boat fitted with 200 Horsepower HP Yamaha engine carrying sacks of the suspected items.
“In related development, on Sunday, 19th May, 2024, a joint team of officers and men of the command, while on routine patrol along Panko creeks, Badagry waterway, intercepted one wooden boat fitted with a 25 Horsepower HP Yamaha engine carrying suspected contraband items and upon sighting our patrol boat, abandoned their boat and dived into the water.
“A careful examination carried out on the items being conveyed 505 bags of 50 kilograms of foreign parboiled rice having a combined Duty Paid Value of N59,185,000 of both items and means of conveyance. The offending items as well as the means of conveyance were seized.
“The action of these smugglers is in direct contravention of Sections 245 and 254 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023 which the Western Marine Command is responsible to enforce.”
He stated that the Western Marine Command under his supervision had received the approval to hand over the 17 sacks containing 1,257 loaves of cannabis sativa which included 72 loaves that were previously seized by the command with a combined weight of 720kg to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA in the spirit of interagency synergy and collaboration and in line with the policy thrust of the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi.
“While appreciating the CGC and the management of the Nigeria Customs Service for the motivation they provided, the Western Marine Command under my supervision appeal to the general and trading public not to engage in illicit drugs and to stop smuggling which leads to economic sabotage as drugs continue to be a menace to society and serves as a source of other criminal acts such as banditry, kidnapping and armed robbery.
“The Western Marine Command is poised and committed to improve on this performance in the years ahead”, he concluded.
In a short remark, the representative of the Marine Commander, NDLEA and Assistant Commander of Narcotics, Marine Operations, Bashir Magaji while describing the hand over as a demonstration of the synergy between the two government agencies adding that, that was not the first time NDLEA was receiving those kind of items from customs.
“The last time we were here was last three months. We were here and we received bigger exhibits and this is very outstanding. I use this opportunity to commend the Controller for this gesture. It will go a long way. We at our end are going to do our thorough investigation. For now, we are taking these exhibit to our exhibit office for necessary investigation”, Magaji said.
Photo: (L-R): Comptroller Paul Bamisaiye, Customs Area Controller, Western Marine Command handing over documents containing items handed to the agency to Mr. Bashir Magaji, Assistant Commander of Narcotics, Marine Operations, NDLEA at the command headquarters in Lagos on Tuesday.
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