Along the Ibeju-Lekki waterways, 103 sacks containing 8,240 loaves of cannabis sativa and 23, 000 capsules of tramadol 100 mg each were discovered, according to the Western Marine Command of the Nigeria Customs Service.
This was reported by the Customs Area Controller, Odaudu Salefu, while turning over the drugs to agents of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency at the command in Ibafon, Apapa, Lagos, according to a statement released on Thursday by the command’s public relations officer, Mailafiya Magaji.
The premier marine service formation tasked with protecting the waterways is the WMC of the NCS.
He added that one wooden boat with two 40-horsepower Yamaha Outboard Engines was also confiscated along with the information that the narcotics were worth N692 million in duty-paid value.
Salefu, according to the statement, said that the seizures were made following credible intelligence that a crime was about to be committed.
He said, “On Thursday, August 3, 2023, at about 0400hrs, the command, upon a follow-up on one of its numerous leads, received credible intelligence that a crime was about to be committed.
“Information reached the command that an attempt will be made to smuggle a large shipment of cannabis sativa into the country through our western waterways from a neighbouring country.
“The command immediately assembled a joint patrol team of marine patrol officers and set out towards the Ibeju Lekki Deep Sea Coastal Water where they intercepted and arrested one wooden boat with two Yamaha Outboard Engines (40hp each) loaded with 103 sacks of substances suspected to be cannabis sativa (marijuana).”
Salefu explained that the smugglers on sighting the patrol team abandoned the contrabands and jumped into the water.
He added that the seized 8,240 parcels of cannabis sativa weighed 3,811 kg.
The WMC boss explained that the inordinate quest by citizens to get rich by any means fuels the menace of smuggling.