By Steve Agbota
The Western Marine Command of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), yesterday said it arrested six suspects with147 sacks of marijuana with an average of 45Kg per sack, giving an estimated total of 6,615Kg coming from Ghana.
The six suspects and marijuana worth ₦661, 500, 000 were handed over to the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for prosecution and destruction.
The Customs Area Comptroller of the Command, Olugboyega Peters, while handing over the cannabis to the Commander of Apapa NDLEA Special Area Command, Samuel Gazama, said the arrests were made on Saturday March 27.
He said the WMC operatives of Coastal and Harbour Patrol on credible intelligence along Ibeche Beach on the high sea accosted and arrested two wooden boats laden with sacks suspected to contain Marijuana HS Code 0602.90 of Common External Tariff (CET) together with six suspects.
He said the officers of NCS were empowered by Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA) Cap. C45 Laws of Federation of Nigeria 2004, as amended to search vehicles/ships, to search, to patrol freely, to detain, seize and powers to forfeiture.
On the handing over of the cannabis, he said the WMC has had several collaborations with the NDLEA Director Seaport Operations and it is in view of continuous synergy and its statutory responsibility that the Command is handing over the marijuana together with the six suspects to the representative of NDLEA in the interest of National Security.