The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Seme command, on Thursday said it intercepted five trailer loads of expired flour, with a duty paid value (DPV) of ₦1.2 billion, coming from Egypt.

Wale Adenuga, controller of the Seme Area Command of the NCS, disclosed this at a news conference in Seme.

According to the controller, the trucks contained 10,000 bags of flour that had expired since March 2024 and were coming from Egypt to Nigeria.

He said intelligence on the flour was leaked to them through the office of the Comptroller General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, with the assistance of the Nigerian Navy in Abuja.

“The health risks associated with consuming such expired products could have led to severe infections, food poisoning, and long-term health complications.

“Beyond health implications, such unwholesome goods undermine local industries and erode consumers’ trust,” he said.

Mr Adenuga said other items seized by the command included 1,104 parcels of cannabis sativa intercepted via intelligence.

“One hundred and twenty packs of tramadol 120mg were seized by our operatives. Two suspects were handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Seme command, for further investigation.

“Other seized items include 2,043 bags of foreign parboiled rice (50kg each, 150 bales of second-hand clothing, 169 bottles of DSP Cough Syrup with codeine, and five used vehicles,” he said.

He said the DPV for all seizures stood at ₦1,99 billion.

Mr Adenuga said the command generated ₦1.5 billion in September, compared to ₦531.4 million collected in August.

He said the outstanding performance reflected the effectiveness of the CGC’s reform agenda, built on compliance, transparency, and data-driven monitoring of goods.

Mr Adenuga commended the Nigerian Armed Forces, especially the Nigerian Navy, for their support in the fight against smuggling on the Seme corridor.

(NAN)