Kwara Customs seizes 1,153 parcel of cannabis valued at #57 million.

Kwara state customs officials intercept large parcels of cannabis, seizing 1,153 parcels worth #57.7 million in Bature’s local government area.

On July 3, 2024, Nigeria Customs Service Operatives from the Kwara area command intercepted a truck with registration number T-25750-LA, leading to the seizure of cannabis in the Baruten local government area.

This was disclosed on Wednesday by Area Controller in Kwara State, Comptroller Faith Ojeifo, while briefing the media on the activities of the operation.

According to Ojeifo, the confiscated cannabis was cleverly hidden in specially designed compartments and various sections of a DAF truck.

Ojeifo further stated that the DAF truck, valued at #21.5 million, will be confiscated and forfeited to the federal government, as prescribed by Section 250 of the Customs Service Act, 2023.

“To fulfil one of the mandates of the command as stipulated in Sections 4e & f of the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023 on the suppression of smuggling and border enforcement, our operatives along the Yamboa axis of Bukuro, under Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara State, on Wednesday, 3 July 2024, at about 17:00 hours, intercepted a DAF truck with registration number T-25750-LA suspected of carrying prohibited items. Our officers conducted a search on the vehicle in line with the provisions of Section 6 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023.

“While the search was ongoing, the driver, realising that our officers had discovered the concealment, abandoned the truck and fled into the bush to evade arrest. This action triggered the interest of our operatives.

“In line with Sections 226 a & b of the Customs Service Act, 2023, the DAF truck was immediately transferred to Command Headquarters, Ilorin. After a 100% physical examination, the truck was found to conceal 1,153 parcels of cannabis (marijuana),” Ojeifo said.

She attributed this success to the effective utilization of actionable intelligence and proactive strategies to combat evolving smuggling techniques, resulting in remarkable achievement with a short timeframe.

Ojeifo exposed the tactics of smugglers, who have begun utilizing specially modified vehicles and motorcycles in an attempt to dupe Customs officers and smuggle goods undetected.

“They have even gone so far as to fabricate trucks with false bodies and bottoms designed to conceal dangerous drugs and deceive our operatives,” she said.

She then handed over the seized drugs to the Commandant of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency in the state, Hajia Fatima Popoola, at the Customs Area Command Office in Ilorin.

She also noted that, during the period under review, 110 kegs of petroleum with a duty-paid value of ₦550,000 were seized, adding, “It is difficult to imagine that despite the current scarcity of Petroleum Motor Spirit in the country, some unpatriotic Nigerians still attempted to smuggle this product out of the country through our borders. The total duty-paid value of seized items during this period is ₦42,702,650.00.”

Ojeifo disclosed that the command generated ₦13,398,447,613.51 between January and July 2024, which has been remitted to the federation account.