• Seizes Indian hemp, petroleum products, others worth N276m
THE Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Seme Area Command has seized cocaine worth N3.9 billion.
According to the Customs Area Controller, Bello Mohammed Jibo, the substance was intercepted at about 9:00 a.m. on Sunday, January 23. He added that the hard drugs weighing 11.913 kilogrammes were discovered in a bus conveying religious books.
He said, “Officers and men of the command while conducting stop and search along Seme-Badagry Expressway intercepted 11 parcels of substance suspected to be cocaine in a Ford Transit bus conveying religious books.”
Jibo stated that the aforementioned items were successfully evacuated to the command premises where an examination was conducted.
“Consequently, the substance was subjected to test and verification by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and was found to be cocaine weighing 11.913kg. One suspect has been arrested in connection with the seizure,” he added.
The Customs chief also explained that 1,065 jerrycans of petroleum products, equivalent to 31,950 litres were discovered with a Duty Paid Value of N10,041,198.
He further stated that the command’s ability to intercept the contraband was hinged on its renewed effort and offensive patrol initiated against the smuggling of petroleum products along the creeks within the Seme and Badagry axis.
In another development, Operatives of the Nigeria Customs Service, Zone ‘B’ Federal Operations Unit (FOU), intercepted and seized 250 parcels amongst other smuggled goods worth N276 million between December 22, 2021, and January 27, 2022.
The Customs Comptroller in charge of the zone, Al-Bashir Hamisu, made this known to newsmen in Kaduna. He said that the goods seized were 250 parcels of Indian hemp and 60 pieces of foreign Jack knives, among other smuggled goods.
According to Al-Bashir the items were among the 109 seizures made within the said period.
“Other items included 474 gallons of 25 litres each of premium motor spirit (petrol); 16 units of used vehicles, 92 bales of foreign second hand clothing and 14 bales of new foreign textiles.
“Also impounded by the service, include six units of vehicles as means of conveyance, 44 bags of foreign rice concealed in rice paddy, and 825 cartons of foreign spaghetti and macaroni.
“72 pieces of foreign used tyres, 20 cartons of foreign cigarettes, 12 kegs of foreign vegetable oil, 45 litres of foreign motor engine oil among other items seized,” he stated.
The zone covers the north western states of Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara, Kano, Kebbi states, alongside Niger, Kwara, Kogi, Sokoto and the FCT in the North central zone.
