Marine Customs Foils Drug Trafficking Attempt, Seizes N152m Worth of Cannabis in Lagos
In a major breakthrough against illicit drug trafficking, the Western Marine Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intercepted a large consignment of Cannabis Sativa valued at ₦152 million, disrupting a key smuggling route off the Lagos coastline.
Comptroller Paul Bamisaiye, Customs Area Controller of the Command, announced the seizure during the official handover of the drugs to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency(NDLEA) on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
According to Bamisaiye, the operation was based on credible intelligence and executed in the early hours of Tuesday, April 15. Officers from the Command’s patrol team intercepted smugglers at sea near Mopol Beach around 2:30 a.m. as they attempted to offload 1,452 loaves of cannabis from a wooden boat powered by a 40-horsepower Yamaha engine.
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“On sighting our operatives, the smugglers abandoned the boat and fled. Our team recovered the drugs and brought them safely to the Command headquarters,” Bamisaiye stated.
The intercepted consignment, weighing approximately 730kg, highlights the Command’s renewed operational focus under the leadership of Comptroller General Adewale Adeniyi, particularly in tackling the smuggling of illicit substances that threaten public health and national security.
Providing a broader update, Bamisaiye said the Command made nine significant seizures in the first quarter of 2025, with a total duty-paid value exceeding ₦702 million. These included 3,856 loaves of Cannabis Sativa, 704 bags of smuggled rice, and 392 bottles of codeine syrup. He also confirmed the arrest of five suspects linked to these seizures, all processed in line with the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023.
Receiving the seized cannabis, Acting Marine Commander of the NDLEA, Morrison Udo, praised the Customs Service for its vigilance and pledged deeper collaboration in the ongoing battle against drug trafficking and organized crime across Nigeria’s waterways.
By PRNigeria
