... the Command records ₦650.4m Seizures in two days of the Second half year
ZAINAB JUNAID
The Western Marine Command of the Nigeria Customs Service(NCS) has recorded 26 incidents of seizures translating to a Duty Paid Value of One Hundred and Eighteen Million, Five hundred and eighty one thousand, three hundred and thirty five naira (₦118,581,335.00) in the Southwest Creeks and waterways between January and June 2023.
This was contained in the Command's 2023 half year anti smuggling performance report made available by the Public Relations Officer of the Command, Magaji Mailafiya, during a Chat with our reporter, on Friday.
According to the report, the incidents of seizures made for 2023 between January and June was 26, while that of 2022 for the same period under review was 18 seizures with a DPV of Two hundred and thirty nine million, thirty four thousand, three hundred naira (₦239,034,300.00).
However, with continous suppression of smuggling in the creeks and waterways as well as facilitation of legitimate trade by proper implementation of fiscal policies, Officers of the Command started second half of the year 2023 with greater efforts by unmasking some perpetrators of nefarious act who tried to import 14,015 parcels of Cannabis Sativa, weighing 7,728kg, which translated to a Duty Paid Value of Six Hundred and Eighteen Million, two hundred and forty thousand Naira (₦618,240,000.00) and 103 sacks containing 8240 loaves of substance suspected to be Cannabis Sativa weighing 3811kg at a Duty Paid Value of Over ₦32,192,000.00 (Thirty two Million, One Hundred and Ninety Two Thousand naira.)
This development was earlier disclosed by the Ag. Comptroller General of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, on Monday August 7th 2023 while reading out some seizures made by officers of the Western Marine Command and Sector 2 border drill operatives, during his familization visit at Ogun 11 Command, Abeokuta.
To him, "Officers of the Federal Operatives Unit of Zone A intercepted 14,015 parcels of Cannabis Sativa weighing 7728kg translating to Duty Paid Value (DPV) of ₦618, 240,000, (Six Hundred and Eighteen million, two hundred and forty thousand naira) discharged from a boat at the creeks around Aja and Ijebu Ode Area. A total of 3 suspects and the items were handed over to Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on August 2, 2023 and are currently undergoing investigations.
"On Thursday August 3rd at about 04:00 hrs; a joint patrol team of officers intercepted a wooden boat with 2 Yamaha outboard engines (40 horsepower) each containing 103 sacks containing 8240 loaves of substance suspected to be Cannabis Sativa weighing 3811kg at a Duty Paid Value of Over ₦32,192,000.00 (Thirty two Million, One Hundred and Ninety Two Thousand). These items are currently warehoused in western marine base in Lagos.
"This shows that the Service remain steadfast in delivering its statutory mandate and protecting the nation from the scourge of illicit drugs," the CGC had said.
The Command's Area Controller, Compt. Odaudu Salefu, on his part warned earlier this year that the command will not rest on its oars to rid the creeks/waterways of illegal trade practices and will continue to enforce federal laws and policy restrictions where necessary.
