The Nigeria Customs Service, Inter Pol, Nigerian Navy, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency uncovered 32.9kg of cocaine in Apapa Port inside MV Chayanee Naree, a cargo vessel that came from Brazil.
The vessel, MV Chayanee Naree was said to be carrying bulk sugar meant for factories in Nigeria.
According to a press release by the PRO of the Command, DSC Abubakar Usman, operatives from the Nigeria Customs, Navy, and NDLEA worked on tips shared by the Interpol to the various agencies which necessitated close monitoring of the ship using a high maritime domain awareness system.
The press release also revealed that after meticulously searching the vessel with the aid of sniffer dogs, carefully concealed in one of its five large compartments was a package weighing 32.9kg of hard drugs, tested and confirmed to be Cocaine.
It also stated that an 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 in September 19, 2021.
The ship was also reported to have berthed under arrest at Terminal C in Apapa where the security agencies searched for 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 said the discovered drug has been kept in the custody of NDLEA.
He further 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.
He stated, “The synergy that has come in, which everybody participated professionally on the field of his profession and this kind of seizure was discovered”.
“Thank you very much and I want this synergy to continue all the time and not only from the management team but down the ladder. And with this kind of energy, I’m sure that the gap that exists where the culprit penetrated will never exist again”. He added.
The Deputy Commissioner of Police and representatives of other agencies also commended the synergy, as the partnership has generated results.
He said “We want to congratulate and commend the synergy on behalf of the AIG Interpol Nigeria Police, commend the synergy that has led to this success. Commending the Nigerian Navy, Nigeria Customs Service and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency for their collaboration”.
“We will build on this and continue the synergy” he added.
