The Nigerian Navy Ship Victory (NNSV) has arrested three suspects with 1,209 bags of illegally smuggled parboiled rice along the waterways in Calabar, Cross River.
The suspects – Humble Edet, Christian Adebayo, and Balle Philip – were arrested by NNSV personnel on patrol at 2 nautical miles in Calabar.
The Commander of NNSV, Commodore Chiedozie Okehie, who disclosed this to journalists on Monday in Calabar, said the suspects were arrested for conveying smuggled items into the country.
He said: “These suspects were arrested with a wooden boat laden with 1,209 bags of foreign parboiled rice at 2 nautical miles, South-East of the Calabar fairway buoy.
“The suspects were arrested on September 11, 2021. We are handing over the suspects and the rice to officials of the Nigeria Customs Service.
“From our interrogation, the suspects were smuggling in the items from Cameroon to Nigeria.
“I want to advise those involved in this illegal business to embrace genuine means of business and livelihood because the navy is fully out to ensure that such illicit act is stopped
