The Western Marine Command of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) intercepted 51 sacks containing 4,070 parcels of Cannabis sativa weighing 1,785kg in January 2024.
Area Controller, Odaudu Salefu, who displayed the seized illicit drugs in Apapa, yesterday, said they were intercepted by a joint patrol team of the command.
He said the team received credible intelligence on the movement of a wooden boat suspected of transporting the offending goods around the Moba Seashore axis of the command. Consequently, the operatives embarked on a hot pursuit. In the process, the smugglers dived into the creek and abandoned the vessel.
He said the boat was towed back to the command headquarters at Ibafon, Apapa, and that after careful examination, it was found to contain 4,070 parcels of Cannabis sativa weighing 1,785kg.
Salefu said the command made five significant seizures of Cannabis sativa, totaling 14,920 parcels, which were part of the 48 incidents of seizures recorded by the command in 2023. He said the seizures had a Duty Paid Value of N1.5 billion.
He promised to give officers of the command needed motivation to perform anti-smuggling operations on the western waterways, adding that the command is poised to improve its performance in 2024.
