Customs Seizes N1.4bn Contraband, Nabs Six Suspects

The Western Marine Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has arrested six suspected criminals, who specialise in smuggling contrabands into the country.
The suspects have been handed over to  the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
The NCS gave the value of the seized item as over N1.4 billion.
This was made known by the Controller of the command, Comptroller Olugb-enga Peters, at a press briefing, last Friday.
Peters gave the total  Duty paid value (DPV) of the Marijuana as six hundred and ninety four million five hundred and seventy five thousand naira (N694, 575,000.00) only.
He said the suspects were arrested in connection with the seizure, which was made on Saturday, 27th March, 2021.
According to him, the suspects were nabbed by the operatives of Coastal and Harbour Patrol (Bar-Beach) on credible intelligence along Ibeche Beach on the high sea.
Peters said the goods alongside the suspects were brought to the command by gallant officers of the customs.
“The Western Marine Command has had several collaborations with the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Director, Seaport Operations and it is in view of continuous synergy and its statutory responsibility that we are handing over the marijuana together with the six (6) suspects to the representative of NDLEA in the interest of National Security”, he said.
Peters explained further that the command had, in the 1st quarter of 2021, made a total of 12 seizures ranging from rice, marijuana, second hand clothing and PMS with a total Duty Paid Value (DPV) of seven hundred and twenty million, five hundred and forty one thousand naira (¦ 720, 541,000.00) only.
Recall that the operatives of the command made a massive seizure of over 10 tonnes of Cannabis Sativa (Marijuana) valued at over a billion Naira in 2020.
The seizure was said to be the highest single seizure of Cannabis in the history of the service.