Officers and men of the Nigeria Customs Service, Western Marine Command, intercepted 51 sacks of Cannabis Sativa containing 4,070 parcels in January 2024.
This was contained in a press statement signed by the Public Relations officer, Superintendent of Customs, Magaji Mailafiya, on 30th January 2024.
The Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Odaudu Salefu, disclosed that the operation was made through credible Intelligence of the movement of a wooden Boat around the Moba Seashore axis of the Command.
“On Friday, 19th January 2024, at exactly 1206hrs, a Joint Patrol Team of the Command received credible Intelligence of the movement of a wooden boat around the Moba Seashore axis of the Command suspected of transporting offending goods. After a hot pursuit of the identified boat by our officers, the smugglers dived into the Creek, abandoning the boat fully loaded with the goods.
“The wooden boat powered by two 40 horsepower (HP) engines was towed back to the Command HQ at Ibafon Apapa. After careful examination, it was found to contain 4,070 parcels of Cannabis Sativa weighing 1785kg,” the statement read.
Recalling past events in the year 2023, the CAC noted that the Command made 5 significant seizures of Cannabis Sativa, totaling 14,920 parcels of the dangerous drugs.
He said that the 5 seizures were part of the 48 incidents of seizures recorded by the Command in 2023, resulting in a total Duty Paid Value of N1, 470,397,255.00 for the year.
Comptroller Salefu stated that the NCS is ready to purge the Western Waterways of the offensive activities of smuggling.
He promised to give officers of the Command the needed impetus and motivation to perform their anti-smuggling responsibilities in the current year.