The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) intercepted 16 containers of contraband valued at more than N10 billion and arrested five suspects in connection with the seizures at the Apapa Port in Lagos.

Comptroller-general of customs, Bashir Adeniyi, disclosed this at a news conference on Monday.

He stated that the seizures followed weeks of intelligence gathering, coordinated inspections, and inter-agency collaboration.

Mr Adeniyi said the intercepted items included cannabis indica, arms, expired pharmaceuticals, counterfeit goods, frozen poultry, and used clothing.

He explained that three suspects had been charged to court and remanded in Ikoyi prison, while two others were on administrative bail pending further investigation.

According to him, a 40-foot container with the number MRSU6407089, initially cleared as clean cargo, was discovered during a joint examination with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to contain 202 cans of Canadian cannabis.

He said it also included two pump-action rifles, 25 cartridges, a Smith & Wesson pistol, 55 rounds of ammunition, and other accessories, which were consigned to a Lagos-based importer, identified as Babatunde Ogidioglu.

The customs boss said other seizures included seven containers of expired drugs and banned medications, three containers of expired food products, mainly margarine, three containers of prohibited used clothing, and two 40-foot containers with 1,290 sacks of frozen poultry each.

Mr Adeniyi added that one container with the number ZZSU7277511 held 305 cartons of unregistered toothpaste concealed under beads and jalabiyas, while two other containers of expired chest and lung tablets without NAFDAC registration numbers were intercepted.

He noted that two newly arrived 40-foot containers of codeine syrup were also traced to the same syndicate.

Mr Adeniyi placed the duty-paid value of the seized goods at over N10 billion, stressing that the street value in the hands of criminals would be far higher.

He said the operation demonstrated the NCS’ determination to prevent Nigeria from becoming a dumping ground for harmful imports.

He also confirmed that prosecutions had begun and warned that the service would sustain strict checks on pharmaceutical imports.

According to him, this will be achieved by stopping the transfer of such containers to bonded terminals outside the ports.

He also cited operators’ failure to meet compliance standards.

The NCS chief commended the efforts of the Apapa area controller, Comptroller Babatunde Olomu, and the cooperation of sister agencies, including NAFDAC, NDLEA, and the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW).

Speaking at the event, Olakunle Olaniyan, NAFDAC director of ports, said the intercepted pharmaceuticals were fake and dangerous to public health.

He noted that NAFDAC had inspection offices in China and India to monitor exports before they arrive in Nigeria.

Also, NDLEA assistant commander of narcotics, Buba Wakawa, confirmed that the cannabis indica was imported from Canada and posed more harm than the locally grown cannabis sativa.

The zonal coordinator of NCCSALW, retired commissioner of police, Mustapha Alamutu, commended the NCS for consistently supporting the agency’s work against illicit arms trafficking. 

(NAN)