Western Marine Customs Command seized cannabis sativa worth 2billion

 

Western Marine Customs Command seized  cannabis sativa worth 2billion 

The Western Marine Command of Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, has seized goods worth  N2.2billion including; 29,660 parcels of cannabis; 1575 bags of rice; 28735 litres of petrol in four months.

Area Controller of the Command, Comptroller Abubakar Umar disclosed this during a press briefing in Lagos stating that the seizures were made between June and October, 2022.

 The seized items consists of  Cannabis Sativa (Marijuana) weighed 16,663kg and estimated to be N2,061,000,000;  the seized 1575 bags of foreign parboiled rice equivalent to more than 2 trailer load of rice and worth N39,375,000

Others imcludes 28,735 liters of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) contained in 1,077 kegs of 25liter size was equivalent to one tanker-load of PMS valued at N4,921,700 and 7 wooden boats with 4 engines as means of conveyance worth N13,750,000 and 2 sacks of suspected gun powder.

“Importation like this won’t help our country’s development. We all know the harms that Cannabis Sativa pose to our youths. It is illegal to ship such contraband into Nigeria and we will continue to thwart the efforts of unscrupulous importers who derive joy in bringing in such substance into the country.” He emphasised.

“We don’t usually use our arms when apprehending these suspects or making seizures on the waterways because it’s usually at night and there are always fishermen. Our officers aren’t trigger happy, so they have to be cautious to avoid shooting at ordinary fishermen who still operate on these creeks and waterways at night,” Umar said.

Comptroller Umar appreciated the Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali and his management team for supporting the Command with the necessary facilities.

He added that western Marine Customs Command is still expecting  7 newly constructed boats,  nine boats and over 250 trained officers and we expect 50 more officers to join us from the training school.

He however handed over the seized cannabis sativa to the Commander of Narcortics, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA.

In his response while receiving the canabis sativa, Commander of Nacortics, NDLEA , Isaac Musa, said "On behalf of the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Comptroller Buba Marwa (rtd), I received  this exhibit. We want to assure you that everything will be done to make sure that all the perpetrators of drugs harms including this one are brought to book."