CANOE LADEN WITH 10,970 LITRES OF PMS HEADING TO BENIN REPUBLIC INTERCEPTED BY CUSTOMS WHIRLWIND
By Timothy Paul Okorocha
A Canoe-laden with more than 10,970 litres of premium motor spirit (PMS) ingeniously loaded in specialized sacks as well as Jerry cans heading to Benin Republic has been intercepted by operatives of the Whirlwind.
The seized products followed a surveillance mounted by the Assistant Comptroller Mahmoud Ishidi Bello’s surveillance on the waterside in Badagry.
The Whirlwind Team Commander for zone A, said a total of 61 sacks and seven Jerry cans were seized with each containing 150 litres of fuel.
According to him, the intercepted products were quickly evacuated from the canoe with the aid of a re-enforcement from the Nigeria military from the Badagry barracks.
‘It was a successful operation without casualty, even though there was an attempt by the smugglers to attack us’ Bello noted.
According to him,the smugglers have now developed a new smuggling concept where petroleum products are ingeniously loaded into large sacks and smuggled out, adding that since the Whirlwind operation commenced, this is the first time that they have seized smuggled fuel products in large sacks.
Bello recalled that, just 10 days ago, the National Co-ordinator, Assistant Comptroller General Ejibunu, had showcased the Whirlwind’s monumental achievements geared towards nipping in the bud petrol smuggling outside the country.
He stated that the current seizure is another breakthrough in the new year, noting that at the last twin briefing held in Ibadan and Lagos, the National Co-ordinator had promised that the Team was going to redouble its efforts during the festive period to ensure that smugglers did not take advantage of the Yuletide.
Assistant Comptroller Bello disclosed that the Co-ordinator has directed that the seized product be immediately auctioned, as it is not to be warehoused due to its high inflammable nature.