By Sandra Chukwunyere
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has seized 16 containers of contraband worth over N10 billion at the Apapa port, dealing a significant blow to a powerful smuggling syndicate.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, (CGC) Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, who disclosed this before newsmen on Monday at Apapa, Lagos, the seizure was the result of intelligence-led, risk-based operations, reinforced by high-tech scanners to spot hidden cargoes.
According to the CGC Adeniyi, the operation, which was carried out in collaboration with other agencies, including the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), was a major success.
The seized containers, which were intercepted over a period of time, contained a wide range of contraband, including expired and prohibited pharmaceuticals, cannabis, codeine-based products, counterfeit toothpaste, and other illicit goods.
The goods were concealed in various ways, including hiding them among legitimate cargoes, using fake documentation, and employing other sophisticated smuggling techniques.
One of the most significant seizures was a 40-foot container (MRSU6407089) that was jointly examined by Customs and the NDLEA. Initially cleared, a second inspection revealed 202 cans of potent Canadian cannabis “Colorado Loud” weighing 101kg, as well as two pump-action rifles, 25 cartridges, a Smith & Wesson pistol, 55 rounds of ammunition, and assorted accessories.
The consignee of the container, a Lagos-based businessman, is currently under investigation. Authorities believe that the smuggling syndicate, which is believed to be powerful and well-organized, may have links to other smuggling operations in the country.
The NCS has arrested five suspects in connection with the seizures, three of whom have been charged and remanded, while two are on bail pending trial.
The Customs boss has vowed that the Service will continue to work with other agencies to dismantle every network involved in smuggling and ensure that Nigeria is not used as a dumping ground for criminals or their deadly goods.
“The seizure is a major victory for the NCS, which has been working tirelessly to curb smuggling and other forms of economic crimes in the country. The operation is also a testament to the effectiveness of the collaboration between the NCS and other agencies in the fight against smuggling” he concluded
