Western Marine Command Turns over 17 Sacks Of Cannabis Sativa To NDLEA
In its sustained efforts to secure the Western Waterways, the Western Marine Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has successfully intercepted and seized a large consignment of cannabis sativa, comprising 17 sacks with 1,257 loaves, weighing 720kg and worth over 96 million naira, in a major blow to smuggling activities in the region.”
The Western Marine Command Controller, Compt. Paul Bamisaiye while speaking with Journalists at the handing over ceremony, where he said a patrol team of Officers and Men of WMC 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.
In a related development on 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.”
He added that a careful examination of the items being conveyed revealed Five Hundred and Five (505) Bags of 50kg foreign parboiled rice having a combined DPV of Fifty Nine Million, One Hundred and Eighty Five Thousand Naira (N59, 185,000.00) of both items and Means of Conveyance.
Bamisaiye lamented that the actions of these smugglers is a direct contravention of sections 245 and 254 of NCS Act 2023 which WMC is responsible for enforcing.
He however stated that “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 Seventeen (17) sacks containing One thousand, Two Hundred and Fifty Seven (1,257) loaves of Cannabis Sativa which includes Seventy Two (72) loaves that were previously seized by the Command with a combined weight of 720kg worth over 96 Million Naira to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).”
While appreciating the CGC and Management of NCS for the motivation they provide, the WMC under Compt. Paul Bamisaiye has however appealed to the general and trading public not to engage in illicit drugs. And to stop smuggling which lead to economic sabotage as drugs continue to be a menace to society and serves as the source of other criminal acts, like banditry, kidnapping and armed robbery.
He reiterated that the Western Marine Command is poised more than ever to improve on this performance in the years ahead.
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