The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Indian hemp

  • Customs seizes N9m Indian hemp

    Customs seizes N9m Indian hemp

    The Nigeria Customs  Service (CS), Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone “C” has seized 399.5kg  wraps of Indian hemp (cannabis sativa) valued at about  N9 million.

    Its Area Controller, Victor Dimka said the hard drug were intercepted on the 9th Mile axis  in Enugu State.

    Dimka said the Indian hemp was concealed in a luxury bus along with other luggages to deceive his eagle-eyed officers on duty.

    His officers, the Area Controller  said, acted on information given to them and intercepted the bus bearing the cannabis sativa and other contraband goods such as foreign rubber slippers, used motorcycle and used computers.

    Dimka said the drug was later handed over to the officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for further investigation.

    He said the zone was now a “no go area” for smugglers, their agents and collaborators, stressing that officers and men of the NCS are now better trained, motivated and equipped with the state-of-the-art gadgets to deal with  smugglers wherever they may be.

    He said: “Despite efforts to reduce smuggling, smugglers have refused to listen to the voice of reason and it is quite unfortunate and disheartening that the deviants have continued with their nefarious trade.”

    He said the driver of the luxury bus, who is the prime suspect, has been arrested and would be prosecuted and if found guilty would be convicted in accordance with the provisions of the law, assuring that the NCS would continue to synergise with other sister agencies in the war against smuggling.

    He reiterated the determination of the NCS to win the battle against illicit trade, stressing that the drug war is  not the exclusive responsibility of the NDLEA , but that of all levels of government and all well meaning Nigerians.

    He regretted that the continued consumption of hard drugs by some disgruntled individuals has led to the upsurge of criminals in the society.

    He expressed delight at the relationship between the NCS and the NDLEA and gave an assurance that Customs would continue to be focused on its war against smuggling and arrest more smugglers to serve as a deterrent to others still engaged in illicit trade.

    Its Public Relation Officer (PRO),  Onuigbo Ifeoma said Customs also recorded 98 seizures in the Southeast and Southsouth geo-political zone of the country with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N322 million.

    Giving the breakdown of the seizures, she said officers of the zone also seized a container load of 112 bales of textiles material, 40 feet container comprising garments and furniture last month.

    She said four trucks containing 1,932 (50kg) bags of rice was impounded on the Benin axis.

    The image maker also advised intending car owners to always contact the help desk of any Customs formation to ascertain the genuineness of their Customs clearance documents .

  • ‘I sell Indian hemp to feed my family’

    Suspected drug dealer Mr. Yoyo Seibokuro yesterday said he resorted to selling Indian hemp to feed his family.

    Seibokuro, who was arrested and paraded by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Bayelsa State chapter, said the pressure of feeding three wives and five children forced him to take to the trade.

    Seibokuro, 27, was paraded with Mrs. Asenitiya College, 50; Mrs. Tari Reuben, 37; Mrs. Penny Gillet, 35; Mr. Simon Obru; Mr. Felix Odalonu, 36 and Mr. Umaru Mohammed, 42.

    The suspect, an indigene of Southern Ijaw Local Government, was arrested on October 26 at Agudama, Yenagoa for selling Indian hemp.

    Although he said he was a fisherman, he added that proceeds from the occupation were no longer enough to feed his family.

    “I am a fisherman. I have five children and three wives. I sell drugs to augment my fishing business. This is because the income from fishing is not sufficient to take care of my large family,” Seibokuro said.

    He said he got married when he was 20 years, adding that he coped at the early stage of his marriage.

    Seibokuro said he started having financial difficulties last two years as his family increased.

    Another suspect also confessed to indulging in the crime, but attributed it to her “critical condition”.

    She said: “I know that selling hard drugs is illegal and that government is against it. But I took to it because of hardship. I have nothing to take care of my children.

    “I use what I realise from selling drugs to take care of my children so that they will not be begging neighbours for food. It was so shameful that because of lack of money, my children became servants of our neigbours to enable them eat. I feel bad that I find myself in this mess.”

    The state Commander, NDLEA, Mr. Frank Hanacho, said drug problem remains a major source of concern to the agency.

    He said 21 suspected drug dealers, comprising 15 males and six females, were arrested by the agency last month.

    Hanacho said the agency seized 34.648kgs cannabis sativa from the suspects.

    “This is to let people know that there are still drug problems in the state. It is a problem that requires the collective effort of all.

    “The suspects were picked up from different places and it should give us great concern that even in residential places, people still keep exhibits of 14.4kg.

    “They were arrested with above 4 kg each. It is not an exclusive preserve of males – you see women and mothers also,” he said.

  • 2,000 bags of Indian hemp found in ‘grave’ in Ondo

    Officers  of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Ondo State, have impounded 2,000 bags of Indian Hemp valued at over N20 million.
    The bags of marijuana were confiscated by the NDLEA officials after three days operation carried out in the forest at Ago Dada in Akure North Local Government area of the state.
    The bags were evacuated from a grave-like path of a bush where they were buried to conceal them from being detected.
    The State Commander of the Agency, Mr. Walter Nicholas  said the activities of Indian hemp planters and cultivators have assumed dangerous dimension in the state.
    He explained that the barons have continued to devise new methods of concealing their drugs.
    “It is sad that these barons have continued to devise means of concealing Indian hemp from us. This time around they hid the substance in grave like hole to deceive our men”.
    The NDLEA boss lamented that despite the efforts being made by the agency, drug barons are discovering new methods of hiding the substance from the agency’s officials
    He said, “As an agency, whenever we stumble on any form of strategy adopted by these drug barons, we immediately expose it to the public so that collectively, we can provide surveillance that may lead to the interception of actions.

    He said the agency is aware that most of the drug barons have moved to the forest where most of their activities are now taking place, adding that the command is ready to put up 24-hour surveillance around the state.
    For the illicit to be reduced to the barest minimum, Mr. Nicholas said much is still being expected from the law court despite all efforts that have been put in place by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in trying to make Nigeria a drug free society. “.,

  • Army hands over 124 bags of suspected Indian hemp to NDLEA

    Army hands over 124 bags of suspected Indian hemp to NDLEA

    The Nigerian Army on Tuesday in Abuja handed over 124 bags of suspected Indian hemp it seized from separate operations to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

    Lt.-Col. Adeyinka Aderanti, Commanding Officer in the Public Relations Unit, Gen. Agui Ironsi Cantonment Abuja, also handed over a suspect to the agency.

    Aderanti told newsmen that the bags of cannabis were seized at a military check point at Abaji on the Abuja-Lokoja expressway on March 31.

    He said 31 of the bags were seized from a J5 bus with registration number, XB 572 BLD by troops conducting check on vehicles at Abaji.

    Aderanti said that the other 93 were seized from another J5 bus with registration number, XH 572 NSR.

    According to him, the first bus jumped a queue to beat the check point and in the process, almost knocked down one of the soldiers.

    “The reserve troops pursued the vehicle and seeing that there was no escape route, the driver and other occupants abandoned it on the middle of the road and ran into a nearby bush.

    “The soldiers combed the bus but all efforts to arrest the culprits failed,’’ he said.

    He said that when the second bus was flagged down and searched, it was discovered that it was conveying bags of the weeds, adding that the bags were covered with plantain.

    Aderanti said that the driver of the second bus, who was arrested by the troops, claimed ignorance of the items he was conveying.

    “He claimed that the owner of the goods was waiting for him somewhere along Abaji-Abuja to receive the items.

    “All efforts made to lure the other culprits and get them arrested did not yield any positive result.’’

    He said preliminary investigation showed that the items were meant for Zaria and Abuja.

    The driver, who spoke through an interpreter, said that he brought the items from Edo, claiming that that he did not know the content of the bags.

    Mr Peter Adegbe, the Public Relations Officer of the FCT Command of the NDLEA, who received the weeds, estimated each bag at N100,000.

    Adegbe said that when they were taken up north and across the border of the country, a bag could be sold for between N150,000 and N200,000.

    He commended the army for partnering with the agency in the fight against drug trafficking and abuse.

    The NDLEA spokesman assured that the agency would begin investigation into the seizure, to prosecute the suspect.