The Central Marine Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Tuesday received 72 sacks of cannabis, each weighing 40kg, with four suspected traffickers from the Nigerian Navy.
The accomplices include three Ghanaians and one Beninese told Daily Sun that they were hired by a kingpin who paid them N50,000 to transport the item from Benin Republic to Lagos.
The handover of the suspects and the siezed bags of Cannabis came after the Quick Response Team of the NNS BEECROFT intercepted the illegal shipment on 25 August. NNS BEECROFT commander Rafiu Oladejo who was represented by Executive Officer Navy Captain Mutalib Raji said the operation came following a credible intelligence of dubious activities concentration at the Lekki Beach axis of Lagos.
Oladejo said the operation was sequel to credible and actionable intelligence received by NNS BEECROFT on suspicious activities of some criminal elements taking place around Lekki Beach axis.
This, he said necessitated the deployment of the team to the area for intensive operation resulting in interception of 72 bags of cannabis sativa weighing over 2,880kh.
“The following the information, we took action and readily move into the zone where the narcotics were intercepted 72 bags of cannabis sativa which possessed more than two eighty kilogramme nets,” explained Commodore Oladejo.
The operation is in consonance with the Stratgic Directive of Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla which is to promote economic endeavours through provision of a safe and secured maritime domain.
The suspects were identified as Godswill Zevor, Monday Kpomeja, Gbega Agbeko and a Beninois, Elugbe Philip were handed over to the NDLEA for investigation.