The Nigerian Navy says it has arrested nine suspects and seized 502 bags of foreign rice on Parrot Island waterways and Mbo river in Akwa Ibom.
The Navy Director of Information, Commodore Suleman Dahun made this known in a statement on Monday in Abuja.
Dahun said the arrest and seizure were made by gunboats deployed from Forward Operating Base, Ibaka in the state.
He said that the Navy seized 502 bags of rice worth over N10 million, adding that during the operation, three outboard engines and two pumping machines were also seized.
Dahun said that 502 bags bring total seizure in August to 919 and 9,489 bags so far in 2019.
He said that Naval High command had commended the FOB for its effort at checking smuggling activities and charged it to curb all forms of illegalities in the area.
Dahun said that the FOB at Formoso had also handed over an arrested barge, Ebizarh and a tug boat, Hebizarh with three crew members to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
“The two vessels were arrested at Nigerian Agip Oil Company Terminal in Brass, Bayelsa, for conveying 600 metric tonnes of suspected illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil ( AGO),’’ he said.
