Officials of Operation Whirlwind Zone A of the Nigeria Customs Service, on New Year eve, raided some criminal hideouts along the Lagos waterways in Badagry and intercepted 10,970 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) also known as Petrol stocked in plastic sacks concealed in wooden boats.
The commercial value of the petrol is put at N110 million.
The products were allegedly being smuggled into Benin Republic by members of a smuggling ring operating in Lagos State creeks.
Zonal Coordinator of Operation Whirlwind Zone A, comprising six states in the South West region, Kehinde Ejibunu, who made this disclosure on Thursday stated that the petrol was stored in 61 plastic sacks and seven plastic Jerricans.
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” On 31 Dec 2024, that is on the eve of the New Year, the operatives mounted a surveillance on the waterside in Badagry and intercepted 61 sacks and seven Jerrycans of Premium Motor Sprit (PMS) loaded in a large Canoe with it destination to Benin Republic.”
“The smugglers have now developed a new smuggling concept of PMS in sacks, although this re-emerged concept was an old method, but since the commencement of operation, this is the first time that we get across this method all the seizures made were intercepted in Jerrycans.
“A total of 61 sacks and seven Jerrycans were intercepted by operatives, with each sack containing one hundred and fifty litres (150). This translated into ten thousand nine hundred and seventy litres (10970).
“The said intercepted products were evacuated from the canoe with the re-enforcement from the Nigeria Military from Badagry Barrack. It was a very successful operation without any casualty, although there was an attempt by the smugglers” he stated.
Ejibunu however said due to the nature of the product, the service directed for its auction.
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