ARMSTRONG ALLAHMAGANI, Bauchi –
Hard drugs, Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), foreign rice, and other contraband, worth N1,265,830,809.04, have been seized by Operatives of the Western Marine Command, Nigeria Customs Service, Lagos.
The Acting Customs Area Controller, Western Marine Command, Deputy Controller, Enonche Ochiba, who disclosed this at a media briefing at Ibafon, Apapa, Lagos, on Friday, said the anti-smuggling feat was recorded between July and September, 2021.
The text of the briefing was sent to our correspondent in Bauchi by the Public Relations Officer, Suleiman Mohammed.
According to him, when he assumed office on July 5th 2021, he re-organized the anti-smuggling activities of the Officers/Men of the Command thereby consolidating on the successes of his predecessor in line with the policy thrust of the Comptroller-General of Customs and created a new team code named “Controller surveillance/Monitoring Patrol Team”.
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He said that the team was created to complement the efforts of our existing patrol teams cut across South Western waterways, which led to the successes recorded.
He added that Officers and Men of the Coastal and Harbour Patrol along Kuramo Beach seized 232 sacks of Marijuana weighing 46Kg per sack giving an estimated total of 10,672Kg and worth over N1 billion.
“On Friday, 13 August 2021, the Officers/Men of Coastal and Harbour Patrol together with the Controller Surveillance/Monitoring while on patrol along Kuramo Beach on the high sea accosted, intercepted and arrested sacks suspected to be Cannabis Sativa (Marijuana).
“Pertinently, no arrest was made as the smugglers dived into the sea on sighting the patrol team.
“The goods were brought to the WMC; upon physical examination and counting, it was found to be 232 sacks of Marijuana with an average of 46Kg per sack giving an estimated total of 10,672Kg.
“The Street Value of the Marijuana is One Billion, One Hundred and Twenty Million, Five Hundred and Sixty Thousand Naira (N1, 120,560,000.00) only,” he said.
Ochiba said that similarly, on Thursday, 9th September, 2021 at about 10.30pm, the operatives of the Command, while on Stop and Search operations along the waterways at Pashi of Yekeme axis, discovered some powdered substances suspected to be heroine concealed in a carton of Indomie noodles.
He said: “One suspect in connection with the seizure was arrested. The powder was later sent for laboratory test analysis and it was certified to be heroine weighing a total of 1.52Kg valued at N40, 860,841.02k only.
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“Also, on Wednesday, 15th September, 2021 at about 12am, a team of patrol while on credible intelligence along Abumbum-Ojo waterways, accosted and intercepted sacks suspected to contain drugs.
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“The sacks were evacuated to the base and upon physical examination, they were found to contain drugs that have expired on the 27th April 2017, with the total value of N62,252,794.00 only.”
He said that the drugs include: 817 Bottles of B-Vital, 1,158 Bottles of Kordy-capsule, 3,110 Bottles of Double Ginseng, 619 Bottles of Detoxin, 607 Bottles of B-care and 198 Sachets of Ninhuang Jeedu pian.
Others are: 1,200 Sachets of St Formula, 475 Bottles of Apetamin Syrup, 7 Bottles of Spinsure Table, 17 Bottles of Danshen Plus, 7 Bottles of Arthro capsule, 13 Bottles of Spinsore Pill, 123 Bottles of Chitomeal and bundles of printed labels of double Ginseng with Batch no. DG 04021 with MFG Date: 29.04.2021 and expiring Date of 28.04.2024.
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The Acting Controller stated that the issue of concern on this arrest is that these expired drugs might have found its way into our Nigerian markets if not intercepted by our operatives.
“The smuggler intend to replace the expired labels with a new labels carrying new manufacturing and expiry date as it can be seen on the bundles of printed labels of Double Ginseng accompanying the seized consignment,” he said.
He said that furthermore, on Monday, 20th September, 2021 at about 12.00noon, our operatives while on official patrol, intercepted Packs of drugs at Yekeme axis.
According to him, upon examination, it was found to contain 45 packs of 225mg Tramadol Hydrochloride Tablets with total value of N954,934.02k.
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Other seizures made within the period, according to him, are: 883 bags of 50Kg foreign parboiled rice, 49 sacks of used shoes, 44 sacks of new shoes, 245 Kegs x 25 liters of PMS, one 40Hp Yamaha outboard engine, six bales and three sacks of second hand clothing and bags.
In a related development, he said that, on Friday, 9th July, 2021, the Nigerian Navyship Beecroft, handed over 162 x 50Kg Bags of smuggled foreign rice intercepted at Lagos offshore, as the smugglers dived into the sea on sighting the Navy Patrol Team adding that the DPV of the seizure is N5,184,000.00 only.
The Deputy Controller said that: “The Total Duty Paid Value (DPV) of the Seizures under review is N1,265,830,809.04. only.
“These unprecedented seizures were made at various outstations of Ere and Akere of Idiroko, Badagry, Yekeme and Sea from July to date as a result of coordinated intelligence and our determination in enforcing the Federal Government Fiscal Policies.
“The action of our operatives is in line with the Provisions of Section 149 (Powers to search vehicles/ships and Section 158 (Power to Patrol Freely) of Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA) Cap C45 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 as amended.”
Ochiba said that the activities of these smugglers is detrimental to the Nigeria’s economy and as such, the fight to salvage the Nation from the evil of smuggling is a collective one and non-negotiable, all hands must be on deck to suppress smuggling to its barest minimum.
He warned smugglers to know that the Officers/Men of the Command would not relent on their efforts “until smugglers are out of business, we will continue to track, arrest and prosecute them in accordance with the extant laws.”
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