The Nigeria Customs Service (NSC) in Kwara State has intercepted 1,153 parcels of Cannabis Sativa (Marijuana) reportedly hidden in fabricated compartments and other components of a truck.
The vehicle, a Daf truck with the number plate T-25750-LA, was intercepted by operatives along Yamboa Axis of Bukuro, Baruten Local Government Area of the state.
Speaking during the handing over of the items to the officials of the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Wednesday, the Customs Area Controller, Faith Matthew Ojeifo, described the vehicle as a wonder truck.
“The driver abandoned the truck and fled into the bush to evade arrest which triggered the interest of our operatives.
“The truck was immediately transferred to the Command Headquarters, Ilorin and the items were discovered after 100% physical examination,” he said.
He said the Duty Paid value of the seized drugs is N57,668,448 adding that the truck worth N21.5 million would be forfeited to the Federal Government.
Ojeifo pointed out that it was quite unfortunate that die-hard smugglers would stop at nothing to carry out their evil enterprise.
“In other to trick our officers, they have developed ways of using modified vehicles and motorcycles to smuggle goods and gone as far as displaying their dexterity by skillfully fabricating trucks with false body and bottom created to conceal dangerous drugs,” he said.
He added that during the period under review, a total of 110 jerry cans, about 2,750 litres of PMS worth N550,000 were seized.
He further added that the total duty paid value of all the seized items was N42,702,650.00 while the command generated N3,371,866,918.88 between June and July, bringing the total amount from January to July to N13,398,447,613.51.
In her remarks, Kwara NDLEA commander, Ayoola Popoola Fatimah, said, “This drugs would have gone into society and destroyed a lot of lives in addition to the over 14 million according to statistics”.
She added that the agency would cooperate with customs to arrest those behind the crime because they were not supposed to be in society.
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