The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has successfully intercepted nine containers loaded with various illegal items, including arms, ammunition, illicit drugs, and second-hand clothes, collectively valued at N13.9 billion. This announcement was made by the Comptroller-General of NCS, Adewale Adeniyi, during a press briefing at Onne Port, Rivers State.
Adeniyi detailed the sequence of events leading to the discovery of one particularly suspicious container that originated from Turkey. The container was flagged due to several risk indicators associated with its importation. “We have monitored its journey across continents, benefiting from reliable intelligence shared by our partners both locally and internationally,” Adeniyi explained.
The interception occurred on Friday, June 21, 2024, when the container underwent a detailed physical examination. This scrutiny revealed a hidden cache of 844 assorted rifles and 12,500 rounds of live ammunition. These were cleverly concealed among innocuous items such as doors, furniture fittings, and leather bags. The customs chief revealed that the duty-paid value of just this container amounted to N4.2 billion. In addition to this major find, Adeniyi disclosed the arrest of three individuals linked to the smuggling attempt, following the acquisition of a detention warrant from a court of justice.
The operation extended beyond this single container. On the following day, customs officers intercepted another eight 40-foot containers at a bonded terminal. Upon inspection, these containers were found to contain over 1.5 million bottles of cough syrup with codeine, each bottle 100ml in size, and 3.5 million tablets of tramadol. The duty-paid value for these drug-laden containers was reported at N9.6 billion, bringing the total value of all seized items in the operation to N13.9 billion.
The impact of these seizures is significant, highlighting the ongoing challenges and risks posed by illegal imports into the country. The NCS’s successful operation is part of a broader effort to crack down on smuggling and enforce customs regulations more stringently.
Further illustrating the Customs Service’s vigilance, Mohammad Shuaibu, Coordinator of the Joint Border Patrol Team Sector 2, reported additional enforcement actions. On Friday, June 28, 2024, his team intercepted 1,410 liters of premium motor spirit valued at N30.4 million within a single week. This briefing took place at the Customs Training College in Ikeja, Lagos State, highlighting the widespread nature of customs enforcement activities. The NCS continues to work closely with other national and international law enforcement agencies to improve the effectiveness of their operations and ensure the safety and security of all Nigerians.
