The Nigerian Navy intercepted a total of 261 bags of cannabis with a street value of over N100million during the Christmas and New Year holidays.
The Navy also arrested five crew members, all foreigners, onboard a large boat used in smuggling the contraband.
Commander, Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) BEECROFT, Rear Admiral Bashir Mohammed, said in Lagos on Thursday that this feat was achieved around the Christmas and New year holidays though its intensified intelligence gathering, water patrols and internal security efforts under Operation Mesa.
Admiral Mohammed told reporters at the NNS BEECROFT parade ground in Apapa that 413 bags of foreign rice and 150 drums of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) were also seized.
“The smuggled rice is worth over N13 million in the local market and this is to the detriment of Nigeria’s local content drive”, he said.
He said in October, NNS BEECROFT arrested two vessels for trafficking 32.9kg and 13.65kg of cocaine.
He said the seized items and suspects have been forwarded to the appropriate authorities for investigations and follow up operations. He said the suspects will have their day in court soon.
