Chinonye Anyatonwu.
The Western Marine Command of the Nigeria Customs Service( NCS) has intercepted contraband of Cannabis sativa worth #694m, at the first quarter, 2021.
Briefing newsmen at the command in Lagos yesterday while handing over the substance to the officials of National Drugs Law enforcement Agency (NDLEA) operatives, the Area controller of the command , Compt. Olugboyega Peters disclose that six suspects were in connection with the seizures, which was made on Saturday 27th March 2021 by the operatives of the coastal and harbour patrol, along Ibeche beach on the high sea.
Compt. Olugboyega recalled that in the Year 2020; the operatives of the Command made a massive seizure of over 10 tonnes of Cannabis Sativa (Marijuana) valued at over a billion Naira. Here we are today showcasing another feat of arrest of Marijuana by Officers and Men of the Command.
Narrating how the seizures were made, the command boss stated that On Saturday 27 March 2021; our operatives of Coastal and Harbour Patrol (Bar-Beach) on credible intelligence along Ibeche Beach on the high sea accosted, intercepted and arrested Two (2) wooden boats laddened with sacks suspected to contain Marijuana HS Code 0602.90 of Common External Tariff (CET) together with Six (6) suspects as empowered by Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA) Cap. C45 Laws of Federation of Nigeria 2004 as amended which states as follows:
Section 149 – Powers to search vehicles/ships
Section 150 – Powers to search persons
Section 158 – Powers to patrol freely
Section 167 – Powers to detain/seize
Section 169 – Powers of forfeiture
The goods together with the suspect were brought to WMC; upon physical counting it was found to be 147 sacks of Marijuana with an average of 45Kg per sack, giving an estimated total of 6,615Kg.
The total Duty paid value of the Marijuana is Six Hundred and Ninety Four Million Five Hundred and Seventy Five Thousand Naira (₦694, 575,000.00) only.
The Western Marine Command has had several collaborations with the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Director Seaport Operations and it is in view of continuous synergy and its statutory responsibility that we are handing over the marijuana together with the Six (6) suspects to the representative of NDLEA in the interest of National Security.
Similarly, the Command has in the 1st quarter of 2021 made a total of 12 Seizures ranging from Rice, marijuana, Second hand clothing and PMS with a total Duty Paid Value (DPV) of Seven Hundred and Twenty Million, Five Hundred and Forty One Thousand Naira (₦720, 541,000.00) only.
In a bid for United Nation Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to fulfill its promise based on the outstanding anti smuggling performance of WMC of installing Video Teleconferencing CISCO WEBEX equipment, the delegate of the UNODC headed by Miss Siji Song had on the 16 March 2021 visited the Command and handed over the VTC equipment which according to Peters will aid the operational activities of the Command and will also assist the security agencies in response to the fight against Piracy in the maritime industry.
The equipment will be fully installed when all the enabling tools are put in place by the Service.
It is pertinent to know that the task of making our society free from drugs abuse and drugs related substances is a collective one.
All hands must be on deck to make our society free from such menace. You can imagine the havoc like terrorism, banditry, rape and other crimes, the marijuana of this magnitude may cause in our society if this seizure has not been made by our operatives.
He warned the unscrupulous element to desist from smuggling and look for a legitimate means of livelihood.
The operatives of WMC are always combat-ready to bring smuggling to its barest minimal. No amount of distraction will deter us from enforcing the Federal Government Fiscal Policies; we will remain resolute and undaunted by failure no matter whose ox is gored.
Receiving the cannabis on behalf of the Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Samuel Bashir Gadzama , thanked customs for their role and efforts in intercepting such a huge consignment of drugs.
He described the drugs as capable of causing problem for the country if allowed access into the hands of our youth.
An on the spots testing of the samples were witness by the press men and officials of the NCS to confirm that the seized substance is not fake.
