NCS passes over 284 marijuana packages to NDLEA in Kebbi

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has handed over 284 seized parcels of cannabis sativa to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Kebbi.

The Customs Comptroller in Kebbi, Mr. Joseph Attah, handed over the cannabis seized from drug traffickers to the state NDLEA Commander, Mr. Sulaiman Usman, in Birnin Kebbi on Thursday.

He said that the handover of the substances was in the spirit of interagency collaboration.

The comptroller noted that while other seizures had economic consequences, cannabis sativa has grave security and health implications.

"You will agree with me that while other seized items are financially quantifiable, we cannot quantify the level of damage dangerous drugs and other substances cause in society."

"Such substances, when unleashed in the society, serve as catalysts for all the major crimes we see in our society."

"The seized cannabis was handed over to the NDLEA in Kebbi for further necessary action," he said.

Attah said that the command also recorded successes in its core mandate of generating revenue, trade facilitation and suppressing smuggling,

"The revenue generation drive of the command has continued to witness a gradual increase."

"In October, under review, we generated a sum of N162. 2 million as revenue from import duty; this is the highest since the reopening of the Kamba border."

"The command equally facilitated the formal export of locally manufactured goods worth over N2 billion in the period under review," Attah said.

The comptroller added that the command had directed its operatives to intensify surveillance across the vast bushes and waterways to tackle smuggling in the state.

"To this end, the effort yielded 16 seizures of assorted items, which included but were not limited to 284 parcels of laptop-sized cannabis sativa."

Some of the seized items included four used vehicles, including two Honda Civic cars, a diesel truck, and a tipper truck.

"Others are 139 bales of secondhand clothes; 345 bags of foreign parboiled rice (50 kg each); 2,250 liters of PMS; 38 cartons of whitening cream; and 80 pieces of solar batteries, among others."

"The duty-paid value of the seized items stands at $78.6 million," he said.

Attah commended community leaders for their support of the service and reiterated the command's commitment to checking illegal trans-border trade and other crimes.

Responding, Usman commended the existing synergy between the NCS and NDLEA, saying it would promote security and reduce drug abuse and crime in the state.

"The NCS has been doing great, and this is not the first time it has handed over seized items to the NDLEA," he said.