WMC MAKES HUGE SEIZURES VALUED AT N182.1 MILLION; HANDS OVER DRUGS TO NDLEA
The Western Marine Command ( WMC) is not resting on its oars, as it has intercepted various prohibited items, including drugs, foreign parboiled rice, as well as huge volume of premium motor spirit (PMS) with duty paid value of more than N182.1 million.
Area controller of the command, PK Bamisaiye told newsmen in Lagos today that three suspects are in their custody in connection with the seized items.
I am extremely pleased to welcome you to Western Marine Command, the foremost Marine formation of Nigeria Customs Service, the reason for our briefing today is to keep the media and general public abreast of our latest effort to puncture the evil ranks of smuggling and illicit trade of Cannabis Sativa (Marijuana) along our coastal water also in line with the Comptroller General of Customs’ (CGC) policy trust, the Western Marine Command under my watch as received approval to handover a total of 1,658 loaves of Cannabis Sativa, weighing 788 kilograms arrested during three separate operations and three (3) suspects.
These operations took place at Ijegun Waterside, Bar Beach, and Ekare Beach Front in the month of November 2024. These actions are in direct enforcement of Section 233 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023. The seized Cannabis Sativa and arrested suspects will be handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for further investigation and prosecution.
In a related development, on the 21 November, 2024 the Command seized 295 bags of 50kg foreign parboiled rice and some seven bags of 50kg refined granulated foreign sugar at “Point of No Return” in Badagry and Panko Ere waterfronts.
Again, the Command today will be handing over 386 bottles of 300ml codeine syrup, confiscated along the Yekeme/Joforo waterways, to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) which is in line with the recent understanding reached at the last CGC Conference in Abuja. Additionally, the Command intercepted 900 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) which has been disposed in line with extant laws.
The total Duty Paid Value (DPV) of all the seized items is ₦182,196,000 and total weight of Cannabis Sativa is 788 Kilogram.
Let me use this opportunity to reiterate that the Western Marine Command will not hesitate to take decisive action against any individual or group attempting to undermine the government’s trade restrictions or fiscal policies.
The inordinate quest by citizens to get rich by any means fuels the menace of smuggling, citizens must understand that smuggling is injurious to our economy and smuggling of hard drugs has even more devastating effect on our health and the economy.
The Command under my watch is poised more than ever to rid our waterways of all acts of smuggling and economic saboteurs for the benefit of the growth of the economy of Nigeria.
Thank you for your attention. We are open to your questions.