Innocent Orok
The Western Marine Command of Nigeria Customs Service in its continued efforts to purge the Western Waterways of the offensive activities of smuggling has intercepted and seized 17 Sacks containing 1,257 loaves of Cannabis Sativa with a combined weight of 609kg worth over N96 Million.
Briefing journalists at the Command on Tuesday , the Customs Area Controller, Comptroller PK Bamisaye said: “At about 2300hrs on Wednesday 15 May 2024, a patrol team of Officers and Men of Western Marine Command at the Bar Beach Station of the Command 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 the information, the team moved towards the described location and intercepted one fiber boat fitted with 200HP Yamaha Engine carrying sacks of the suspected items”.
Comptroller Bamisaye further said “In a related development on Sunday 19 May 2024 a joint team of Officers and Men of the Command while on routine patrol along Panko Creek, Badagry Waterways, intercepted one wooden boat fitted with a 25HP Yamaha engine carrying suspected contraband items and upon sighting our patrol boats abandoned their boat and dived into the water.
“A careful examination of the items being conveyed revealed 505 Bags of 50kg foreign parboiled rice having a combined DPV of N59, 185,000 of both items and Means of Conveyance. The actions of these smugglers is a direct contravention of sections 245 and 254 of NCS Act 2023 which WMC is responsible for enforcing”, the Controller said.
While handing over the Indian Hemp to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency ( NDLEA), Marine Command, Commander, represented by Assistant Commander , Bashir Magaji, Bamisaye said “In the spirit of interagency synergy and collaboration in line with the Comptroller General’s (CGC) policy thrust, the Western Marine Command (WMC) under my leadership has received approval to handover 17 sacks containing 1,257 loaves of Cannabis Sativa which includes 72 loaves that were previously seized by the Command with a combined weight of 609kg worth over N96 Million to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).”
He appreciated the CGC and Management of NCS for the motivation they provides, while appealing to the general and trading public not to engage in illicit drugs. And to stop smuggling which lead to economic sabotage as drugs continues to be a menace to society and serves as the source of other criminal acts, like banditry, kidnapping and armed robbery.
