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WMC Customs Seize Boats, Rice, and Hands Over 609kg Hemp Worth N96n To NDLEA
By Prince Benson Davies
The Nigeria Customs Service Western Marine Command (WMC) intercepted 17 sacks containing hemp valued at N96 million and handed them over to the NDLEA.
The Comptroller Mr Paul Bamisaiye, stated this while handing over the seized hemp to NDLEA for further investigation on Tuesday in Lagos.
He said that the seized bags contained 1, 257 loaves of hemp valued at N96m
Bamisaiye said that at about 11: 00 p.m. on May 15, a patrol team of officers and men of the command at the Bar Beach Station of the command received credible intelligence on the 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 fiberglass boat fitted with a 200HP Yamaha engine, carrying sacks of the suspected items.
In a related development, on May 19, 2024, a joint team of officers and men of the command, along Panko Creek, Badagry Waterways, intercepted one wooden boat fitted with a 25-HP Yamaha engine carrying suspected contraband items.
He said that upon sighting customs patrol boats, they abandoned their boat and dove into the water.
“A careful examination of the items being conveyed revealed 505 bags of 50 kg of foreign parboiled rice having a combined duty-paid value (DPV) of N59.1 million.
“The actions of these smugglers are a direct contravention of the NCS Act 2023, which Western Marine Command (WMC) is responsible for enforcing.
Speaking in the spirit of interagency synergy and collaboration in line with the Comptroller-General’s (CGC) policy thrust, the WMC, under my leadership, has received approval to hand over 17 sacks containing 1,257 loaves of cannabis to NDLEA.
He said that the exhibits included 72 loaves with a combined weight of 720 kg worth over N96m handed over to NDLEA.
Bamisaiye commended the CGC and management of NCS for providing to the command under his control and appealed to the general and trading public not to engage in the illicit drug business.
He urged the public to stop smuggling, which led to economic sabotage, as drugs continued to be a menace to society.
He said drugs served as the source of other criminal acts like banditry, kidnapping, and armed robbery.
He said the Western Marine Command was poised, more than ever before, to improve on this performance in the years ahead.
Bamisaiye said that boats with two engines were intercepted along with the seizure, adding that the management would decide on the mode of auctioning the boats.
He urged the men of the command to redouble their efforts and arrest suspects, along with their contraband, to deter other smugglers.
The Comptroller urged the media to join in the fight against smuggling by extending information to the customs to improve their job
Bamisaiye, handing over the seized cannabis sativa to Assistant Commander Narcotics, NDLEA, Mr Bashir Magaji
Bamisaiye assumed the leadership of the WMC on April 19.
While receiving the intercepted hemp from customs, the Assistant Commander Narcotics, NDLEA, Mr Bashir Magaji, commended the NCS for intensifying efforts to suppress smuggling.
Magaji assured the media of continuing the investigation from where customs stopped