Navy arrests 16 over smuggling of N113m contraband
The Nigerian Navy says it has arrested 16 suspects over smuggling of N100 million worth of Indian hemp, N13 million worth of rice and petroleum products. It said while the Indian hemp and bags of rice were being shipped into Nigeria, the drums of petroleum products, mainly premium motor spirit, were being ferried across neighbouring […]
The Nigerian Navy says it has arrested 16 suspects over smuggling of N100 million worth of Indian hemp, N13 million worth of rice and petroleum products.
It said while the Indian hemp and bags of rice were being shipped into Nigeria, the drums of petroleum products, mainly premium motor spirit, were being ferried across neighbouring countries.
Commander of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) BEECROFT, Rear Admiral Bashir Mohammed, said the seizures were made in December 2021.
“On December 17, 2021, NNS ABA intercepted and arrested a large fibre boat conveying items suspected to be hemp bagged inside 261 large sacks. Upon interception, the crew fled with a small speed boat and abandoned the large fibre boat with its contents behind.
“Consequently, the boat was towed down to the base for further investigation. It is worthy to note that the suspected cannabis seized is worth over N100 million in the local market.
“Similarly, on December 21, 2021, NNS OSUN intercepted and arrested a large Cotonou boat laden with 413 bags of rice smuggled into Nigeria from Benin Republic. Pertinently, five crew members were arrested onboard the large boat and investigation revealed that they were all foreigners.
“The wooden Cotonou boat, its contents and the five suspects were brought to the base for further investigation. Preliminary investigation revealed that the bags of rice were all foreign parboiled rice smuggled, concealed in used bagco bags and allegedly belonging to one Mr Fasasi living in Ibeju – Lekki. It is equally worthy of note that the smuggled rice is worth over N13 million in the local market and this is to the detriment of Nigeria’s local content drive.
“In another development, NNS ABA arrested a large Cotonou boat containing 154 x 250L of empty drums with five suspects on December 25, 2021. The suspects claimed that they were waiting for a vessel to receive petroleum products before their arrest.
“Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects were on a mission to buy remnants of petroleum products from vessels after transshipment of the petroleum products at Ship To Ship (STS) area. However, before they got to the vessel as planned, NNS ABA arrested the wooden boat while on patrol off Ibeju – Lekki.”
He also said, on the same day, NNS KANO arrested a large Cotonou boat with six crew members and laden with 125 x 250 litres drums with an unspecified amount of PMS.
He added that the suspects who were all foreigners are part of a syndicate that comes to purchase stolen petroleum products to freight them to Cotonou for sale.
Mohammed said the suspects and exhibits would be handed over to the relevant prosecuting agencies for further investigation and prosecution.