The Kwara State Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has seized 1,153 parcel of marijuana worth N57, 688,448 in Baruten local government area of the state.
The seizure of the contraband followed the interception of a truck with registration number T-25750-LA along Yamboa axis of Bukuro in Baruten local government area of the state on July, 3, 2024 by the operatives of the Nigeria Customs Service.
The Customs Area Controller in Kwara State, Comptroller Faith Ojeifo disclosed this on Wednesday while briefing newsmen on the activities of the command.
Ojeifo said the seized cannabis was concealed in fabricated compartments and other components of the vehicle.
He said the vehicle, a DAF truck worth N21.5m will be forfeited to the federal government in accordance with provision of Section 250 of Customs Service Act, 2023.
“To actualise one of the mandates of the command as stipulated in Section 4e & f of Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023 on suppression of smuggling and border enforcement, our operatives along Yamboa Axis of Bukuro, under Baruten local government area of Kwara State, on Wednesday, 3rd July, 2024, at about 1700hrs, intercepted one DAF truck with registration number T-25750-LA suspected to be conveying prohibited items. Our officers conducted a search on the vehicle in line with provision of Section 6 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023.
“While the search was ongoing, the driver, realising that the eagle eyes of our officers have discovered that there was concealment, abandoned the truck and fled into the bush to evade arrest. This action on the part of the driver triggered the interest of our operatives.
“In line with Section 226 a&b of Customs Service Act, 2023, the DAF truck was immediately transferred to Command Headquarters, Ilorin. After 100% physical examination, the ‘wonder’ truck was found to conceal 1,153 parcel of sativa cannabis (marijuana)”, Ojeifo said.
He said the feat was achieved by acting on concrete intelligence and meticulously enforcing methods to counter the emerging trends of smuggling activities which has brought about a tremendous successes within few days.
Ojeifo disclosed that die-hard smugglers in a bid to trick Customs officers, have developed ways of using modified vehicles and motorcycles to smuggle goods.
“They have even gone as far as displaying their dexterity by skillfully fabricating trucks with false body and bottom created to mainly conceal dangerous drugs with the intention to deceive our operatives,” he disclosed.
He said during the period under review, 110 kegs of petroleum with duty paid value of N550, 000 were seized, adding, “It is difficult to imagine that despite the current scarcity of Petroleum Motor Spirit (PMS) in the country, some unpatriotic Nigerians still attempted to smuggle this product out of the country through our borders. Within the period under review, the total DPV of seized items is N42, 702,650.00”.
He added that between June and July 2024, the command also generated and remitted the sum of N3, 371, 866,918.88 to the federation account which brought the total amount generated from January-July 2024 since he assumed duty to N13,398,447,613.51.
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