By Innocent Orok
Barely two months of intercepting 25 containers of Illicit drugs, the Apapa Customs Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intercepted another 16 containers loaded with prohibited items, including firearms, ammunition, military gear, and fake drugs, with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) exceeding N10 billion. The seizures were made at the Lagos Port Complex (LPC), Apapa.
Comptroller General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, who announced the seizures at a press briefing in Lagos on Monday detailed how a tip-off led to the discovery of a 40-foot container, number MRSU6407089, which was initially declared “clean” but on a secondary search by a joint team from the NCS and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) revealed the concealment of 202 cans of “Colorado Loud,” a Canadian strain of cannabis, totaling 101 kilograms.
He said subsequent scanning also uncovered two pump-action rifles, 25 cartridges of ammunition, and a Smith & Wesson pistol with 55 rounds of ammunition, along with other accessories. The CGC identified the consignee of the container as Mr Babatunde Ogidiolu with a Lagos address. Adeniyi stated that the containers were discovered through intelligence-led operations and the use of scanners.
According to the Customs boss , “Today it gives me pleasure to announce the seizure of 16 containers of goods whose importation violates our laws and threatens our collective peace and security. I would like to begin with the seizure of 1 by 40 footer container number MRSU6407089.
“This container on receipt of intelligence was jointly examined by officers of the Nigeria Customs Service and NDLEA. Initially this container was adjudged clean, but secondary search by the two agencies revealed the concealment of 202 cans of Colorado Loud, that is a Canadian drug. Each of the cans weighs 500 grams and the total seizure involved is 101 kilograms.
“That’s about two bags of cement worth of drugs. However, intelligence available to us suggests that it is not only about drugs inside these containers. Acting on this advice, the CAC was directed to deploy scanners and subject these containers to scanning.
“And when this was done, arms and ammunition were discovered inside the container. Two pump-action rifles and 25 cartridges of ammunition were discovered. Also discovered was one Smith & Wesson pistol with 55 rounds of ammunition, one blank and a number of accessories.
“This container had Mr Babatunde Ogidiolu of an address in Lagos as the consignee of these products. Other seizures include that of seven containers of expired drugs and prohibited medicaments, three containers of expired food items, particularly margarine, and three containers of absolutely prohibited used clothing.
Adeniyi disclosed that in a separate operation over the weekend, the NCS also seized two containers of frozen poultry products, each containing 1,290 sacks of frozen chicken.
Another notable seizure was a container with 305 cartons of toothpaste, found to be infringing on the intellectual property rights of a Nigerian company and lacking NAFDAC registration.
Two additional containers containing unregistered and expired chest and lung tablets were also seized.
He further revealed that two more 40-foot containers, which had been under surveillance, arrived at the port Sunday and were confirmed to contain codeine.
“The information that we had on these containers is linking the owners to that of the previous ones that we have made. The information that we are getting from this will help us to determine the link between the importers of the previous ones.
“It will help us to establish the culpability of the importers and of course their agents. The duty paid values of all these seizures is in excess of 10 billion Naira, ” he said.
The Customs CG said five arrests have been made in connection with the seizures, with three of the suspects already charged and remanded at Ikoyi prison, while two others are on administrative bail pending their court date.
Adeniyi vowed that the NCS, in collaboration with local and international partners, including NAFDAC and the NDLEA, would work to identify those behind the importation of these illicit goods and prevent Nigeria from becoming a dumping ground.
The Comptroller General also reiterated the NCS’s decision to halt the transfer of pharmaceutical products to bonded terminals, citing concerns over non-compliance and security risks at some facilities.
“We have heard reports indicating that Nigeria Customs Service cannot trample upon the rights of importers to make use of bonded terminals of their choice. I very much agree with those arguments that we needed to give priorities to the issues of trade facilitation. These terminals that we are talking about operate under license provided by the Board of Nigeria Customs Service.
“Our obligation in licensing them is not only to facilitate trade, but also ensure that security and compliance regulations are met. Have all the bonded terminals met these obligations? Some of them have, but so many of them have failed to meet this obligation. This is why we are reiterating our position that until further notice we will no longer allow pharmaceutical products to be stem into terminals outside our ports,” he stated.
Adeniyi affirmed the NCS’s commitment to prioritizing intelligence-driven operations and the use of scanners to keep the nation safe.
The seized arms and ammunition were subsequently handed over to the National Centre for Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW) for further action.
