The Customs Comptroller General’s Strike Force Team records large seizure of cannabis sativa
A truck load of Sativa Cannabis worth N516 million has been seized by the Comptroller General of Customs Strike Force Team, Zone A, Lagos.
The team leader Comptroller Sanni Mohammed Yusuf revealed the information during a press briefing organized by the unit on Wednesday, January 18, 2023 at Ikeja, Lagos.
The duty paid value of the truck load Cannabis is five hundred and sixteen million, six hundred thousand naira (N516,600,00).
The Comptroller General Strike Force Team also seized various goods with a total duty paid value of nine billion, one hundred and twenty-two million, seven hundred and ten thousand, three hundred and fifty- naira (N9, 122,710,355) in 2022.
Comptroller Mohammed Sanni Yusuf the Team leader said that the seizures include 225mg of Tramadol, 100mg of Sildenafil Citrate, Codeine Cough syrup, used tyres and bales of secondhand clothing.
Others are bags of foreign parboiled rice, containers of timber, Pangolin scales, slabs of donkey skin and Cannabis Sativa, among others.
The Comptroller disclosed that the team generated five billion, eight hundred and forty-three million, five hundred and twenty thousand, four hundred and seventy-seven naira (N5,843,520,477) through demand notices from January to December 2022
The CAC hinted that the 2022 revenue witnessed an increase of 55 per cent when compared with corresponding year of 2021.
He stated that the single seizure of a truckload of Cannabis was made to discourage the business of smuggling because it is capable of destroying the national economy as well as affect standard of living for Nigerians.
He stressed the fact the illicit business mainly favours the selfish who do not mean well for the country.
He sounded a note of warning to all unpatriotic importers and their agents who go the extra mile in daring his team.
His words: “We shall not only make seizures, but our ever-vigilant operatives will also get them arrested to face the full wrath of the law”, he reassuringly.
According to him, “year 2022 witnessed a robust anti-smuggling drive, marked by tremendous success as highlighted above.”
The controller stressed that for this year, his team has already reinvigorated its round-the-clock operations, relying on its gallant and intelligent officers to suppress snuggling and prevent revenue loss, because of the team’s commitment to doing better in 2023 and beyond has been renewed with fervour.
While thanking God for the modest achievement last year, he expressed gratitude to the Comptroller General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (rtd) CFR, for assisting the team to achieve its goals through his logistics support.
He also showed appreciation to his officers who have been working tirelessly to ensure that the Team’s mandate is achieved.
