How Customs, Navy, others uncover 32.9kg cocaine in vessel  

The Apapa Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has revealed how a sting operation involving the Customs, InterPol, Nigerian Navy, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) led to the discovery of 32.9 Kilograms of cocaine onboard a cargo vessel, MV Chayanee Naree from Brazil.

Recall that the joint operation had led to the interception of the vessel and arrest of 22 Thai seafarers onboard.

Controller of the command, Comptroller Yusuf Malanta, in a statement said the joint operation was initiated following intelligence about the ship’s content shared by interpol to the various agencies which necessitated close monitoring of the ship using high maritime domain awareness system.

Comptroller Yusuf, in the statement signed by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Usman Abubakar, disclosed that the discovered drug has been kept in the custody of NDLEA adding that more search is ongoing on the vessel.

He commended the effective synergy, which he described as very productive among the security agencies.

“Headquarters of the NCS had directed Apapa Command to follow up on the ship with other government agencies. This was jointly done for days.

“After meticulously searching the vessel with the aid of sniffer dogs, the suspected substance was discovered and referred to the NDLEA for tests, which confirmed it to be cocaine.

“The vessel which departed Santos, Brazil on September 19, 2021 and drifted for about a week off the coast of Benin Republic from October I to October 8 2021 when it arrived Nigeria.

“Intelligence report obtained from the ship’s captain confirmed that Brazil Customs had earlier intercepted 150kg of cocaine from one of the ship’s compartments when she berthed at Sopep Locker, Brazil on September 19,2021

“The ship was berthed under arrest at Terminal C in Apapa where the security agencies did a search on her.

“Customs Area Controller of Apapa Command, Comptroller Malanta Yusuf said the command relied on provisions of the Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA) sections 49, 50 and 51 to conduct the exercise.

“Comptroller Yusuf who said the discovered drug has been kept in the custody of NDLEA, commended the synergy and described it as very productive. He added that more search is ongoing on the vessel and any additional discovery will be made known to the public,” the statement said.