Customs Marine impounds cannabis, heroin, tramadol worth N1.1bn
THE renewed offensive by the management of Western Marine Command, WMC, of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, has paid off significantly, as its operatives intercepted illicit and offensive drugs valued at N1.1 billion between July and September 2021.
The seizures which include 232 sacks of Cannabis Sativa, otherwise known in local parlance as Indian Hemp or Marijuana, 1.52Kg of Heroin, 45 packs of 225mg Tramadol and assortments of expired drugs, were intercepted by the combined teams of the Command overhauled anti-smuggling operation from various locations within the Command.
The acting Customs Area Controller, CAC, Comptroller Enochie Ochiba, while handing over the substances to the Apapa Commander of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Bashir Gazama, at a press briefing last weekend, said the items were intercepted between July 5 and September 24, 2021.
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Ochiba warned citizens about the danger and health hazards of indiscriminate consumption of the drugs, especially with regards to expired pharmaceutical products, which shelf lifespan he said are often illegally revalidated by unscrupulous and satanic traders.
The Customs marine flagship controller said upon assumption of duty recently, he re-jigged the command’s anti-smuggling architecture, which includes the formation of the newly formed Comptroller Surveillance/Monitoring Patrol Team and the existing Coastal and Harbour Patrol, noting that the overhaul accounted for the significant improvement and successes recorded.
He said, “Upon my assumption of office, I re-organized the anti-smuggling activities of the Officers/Men of the Command thereby consolidating on the successes of my predecessor in line with the policy thrust of the Comptroller-General of Customs.
“In view of the above, a new team code-named “Comptroller Surveillance/Monitoring Patrol Team” was created to complement the efforts of our existing patrol teams cut across South Western waterways.
“ The Officers/Men have from July to date made several seizures ranging from used foreign shoes, second hand clothing, Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, foreign rice, hard drugs among others.”
