Thirteen containers of hard drugs and expired commodities totaling N43.58 billion in duty-paid items were confiscated, according to the Nigeria Customs Service’s Apapa Area Command.
“Narcotics and controlled pharmaceuticals, security-sensitive equipment, and expired goods intended for human use” are the three categories into which Comptroller-General of Customs Adewale Adeniyi explained to reporters at the command while displaying the seized containers.
“The seizures’ total duty-paid value is N43.58 billion,” Adeniyi stated.
He described the seizure, stating that a 40-foot container with registration number HAMU 3086682 was carrying three vehicles, one carton of coffee mix, eight cartons of oats, and 4,777 parcels of cannabis sativa weighing 2,388.5 kg, packed in two cartons, 48 jumbo bags, and 40 drums.
He further stated that 8,287 packets of 4,145 kg of cannabis sativa, bundled in 162 bags and three vehicles, were being transported in another 40-foot container with registration number FANU 1933352.
A 20-foot container registered MSKU 3941778 was found to contain 2,181 parcels of cannabis sativa weighing 1,090.5 kg, packed in five cartons; 148 bags of foreign parboiled rice; various auto parts; two boxes of lithium batteries; one carton of PV combiner box; 19 cartons of turmeric; 33 cartons of mangala fish; and 11 cartons of butterfly fish.
Among them is a 40-foot container with registration number TCKU 7653306 that was hidden among household goods and contained 1,700 cartons of 169,998 bottles of codeine syrup.
Two cartons holding 108 high-definition dual-camera drones were taken out of another container with registration number MSKU 9282528. 425 bales of used clothing are being transported in a 40-foot container registered MRKU 6185100. 422 bales of worn clothing were being transported in a 40-foot container with the registration number SEKU 4685299, he claimed.
Five containers of expired tomato ketchup, antiseptic liquid, vaginal medications, and disposable diapers were also caught by the command, according to Adeniyi.
He emphasized that 1,282 bundles of discarded clothing and 15,245 packets of cannabis sativa weighing 7,624 kg were being transported in the three drug containers.
Adeniyi cautioned that young Nigerians’ addiction of illegal drugs, such as codeine, has long been a national concern and that there is ample evidence linking it to violent behavior, family disintegration, and the loss of productive lives.
He claimed that the trade would have been supplied for a long time by a single container of this size. According to him, interagency cooperation with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency and intelligence from foreign security partners led to the cannabis interceptions.
The service also removed 108 high-definition dual-camera drones from a seized cargo, according to Adeniyi.
“The service has no issue with drones because they have legitimate applications. However, in the wrong hands, this type of equipment may be used for delivery, monitoring, and reconnaissance, and our security agencies have already encountered it in the field,” he emphasized.
He insisted that shipments of security-sensitive equipment would be delayed if they arrived without the required paperwork. Adeniyi said, “Our ports will not be a route through which capability reaches those who are working against the security of this country.”
He said that the confiscated things would be turned over to the appropriate narcotics agency for additional investigation and resolution.
