Nigerian Navy seizes over 2.5 tons of indian hemp worth N120m in Lagos

By Sodiq Adelakun

The Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) BEECROFT, on Monday in Lagos transferred over 60 bags of confiscated Indian hemp, with an estimated street value of N120 million, to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

The total weight of the seized Indian hemp exceeded 2.5 tons. Commodore Kolawole Oguntuga, the commander of the ship, officially handed over the contraband to Mr. Austin Opiepe, the Deputy Commander Narcotics at the NDLEA Lagos command.

Oguntuga said the exercise was a further testimony to interagency collaboration in the continued fight against illegalities in the maritime environment.

“The Navy has deployed a lot of assets, including electro-optical devices, which have improved round-the-clock survey of Nigeria’s maritime domain.

“The devices enabled the Navy to detect a large wooden boat carrying the narcotics at Ibeju-Lekki area of Lagos State.

“We are handing over these items to the appropriate agency in charge of narcotics which is the NDLEA,’’ Oguntuga said.

He assured the public that the Nigerian Navy in collaboration with appropriate agencies would not leave any stone unturned to ensure a maritime environment conducive for businesses to thrive.

“We will keep going after these unscrupulous people perpetrating illegalities and bring them to book.
“We will continue to work assiduously to rid the maritime environment of illegalities because we understand the nexus between drug abuse, criminality and violence,’’ the commander said.

Responding, Opiepe noted that the NDLEA and the Nigerian Navy had a cordial working relationship which had led to the seizure of many bags of Indian hemp and other illicit drugs in the past.

He assured that the NDLEA would destroy the Indian hemp after obtaining court approvals.