Warri — Eight suspected smugglers have been arrested and three trawlers loads of contraband goods valued at over N10 million impounded by the Nigeria Navy in Warri, Delta State.

The contraband goods, mostly imported fabrics were being conveyed into the Nigerian territorial waters when a naval task force patrol intercepted them and the crew of eight made up of Nigerian and some Togolese nationals.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the goods were originally imported by some Nigerian businessmen, but the ban placed on such goods forced their owners to bypass the ports to evade their being impounded by the Nigeria Customs Service.

Commanding Officer of the Nigeria Navy Ship (NNS) Delta, Navy Capt. Jacob Ajanni, who briefed newsmen on the incident yesterday said, the naval patrol team acted on a tip off around the Okan oil field in the Escravos area.

"We got a hint that a certain vessel was sailing into our waters so our patrol team swung into action and went in search of the suspicious vessel. Men of the navy task force impounded the vessel late on Wednesday and brought it to the Naval Base here in Warri.

"Right now the consignment, which the crew said was edible oil and second hand clothes, are still in the vessel but we have contacted the Nigeria Customs Service at the Warri Port to take over the case as the issue of smuggled contraband goods being falls under its jurisdiction. "Ours is to arrest suspected smugglers and then hand them over to Customs," Ajanni explained.

According to him, the Nigeria Navy was now poised more than ever before to deal decisively with smugglers, pipeline vandals and illegal bunkerers of crude oil, stressing that all that was needed was adequate facilities and the co-operation of other security agencies.

Hassan Bello, Assistant Comptroller (Enforcement), Nigeria Customs Service, Delta, Edo Area Command, who took delivery of the impounded goods at the NNS Delta, expressed appreciation to the Nigeria Navy. Bello also praised the spirit of co-operation between the Nigeria Customs Service and the Navy and called for greater synergy among security agencies.