NCS
By Bolatito Mercy
The Nigeria Customs Service has made a significant bust at the Lagos Port Complex, Apapa, seizing 16 containers worth ₦10 billion containing prohibited items, including firearms, ammunition, military gear, fake drugs, and other contraband. The seized items include two pump-action rifles, 25 cartridges of ammunition, one Smith & Wesson pistol with 55 rounds, and 202 cans of Colorado Loud, a potent Canadian strain of cannabis, weighing a total of 101 kilograms.
The seized contraband also includes codeine syrup in two 40-foot containers, seven containers of expired drugs and prohibited medicaments, three containers of expired margarine, three containers of banned used clothing, 1,290 sacks of frozen poultry products in two separate containers, and 305 cartons of counterfeit toothpaste concealed with beads and clothing.
The Nigeria Customs Service attributed the successful seizures to coordinated intelligence, technology deployment, and collaboration with other security agencies. Comptroller General Adewale Adeniyi emphasized that the seizures reflect the Service’s commitment to enforcing Nigeria’s trade and public safety laws.
The NCS has launched an investigation to identify and prosecute the individuals behind the smuggling operations. Five suspects have been arrested, with three already charged and remanded at Ikoyi prison, while two others are on administrative bail pending their court date.
The seizure highlights the NCS’s efforts to protect national security, public health, and local industries by intercepting contraband and enforcing import regulations. The Service has also reiterated its decision to halt the transfer of pharmaceutical products to bonded terminals, citing concerns over non-compliance and security risks at some facilities.
