The Federal Operations Unit, FOU, Zone A of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, has announced the seizure of contraband goods valued at over N1.2 billion within a six-week period operations across the South-West.
Comptroller Mohammed Shu’aibu, who heads the unit, made this known during a media briefing on Tuesday in Lagos, where he detailed the scale and variety of the interceptions.
According to him, the seized items include 5,015 bags of foreign rice, equivalent to eight trailer loads, and 15 assorted fairly used vehicles.
Customs operatives also intercepted 143 bales of second-hand clothing, two jumbo sacks of used shoes, one sack of assorted worn apparel, 390 bottles of codeine, 310 packs of foreign-branded drugs, 19 cards of tramadol, and 210 used tyres.
Shu’aibu disclosed that a 20-foot container with number ONEU 2419369 FTC, containing 752 cartons of calcium lactate, was impounded for false declaration.
He stated that the total Duty Paid Value of all seizures stood at N1.188 billion. Also, operatives confiscated 640 parcels of cannabis sativa weighing 431.8 kg and 460 jerrycans of petrol amounting to 11,500 litres.
He explained that the contraband items were intercepted in border communities across Ogun, Oyo, Ondo, and Lagos states, reflecting the unit’s heightened vigilance in curbing smuggling in the region.
Four suspects were arrested in connection with the seizures and have been transferred to relevant security agencies for further investigation and prosecution.
Between September 1 and October 7, the unit also recovered N39.2 million through demand notices issued on under-valued imports.
The comptroller reaffirmed the command’s commitment to facilitating legitimate trade while maintaining strict enforcement of customs regulations.
As part of inter-agency cooperation, the seized drugs and cannabis were handed over to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, for further action.
Shu’aibu reiterated the enforcement of the 2016 ban on the importation of foreign parboiled rice through land borders, warning smugglers to desist or face stiff sanctions.
NAFDAC Chief Regulatory Officer, Taiwo Kareem, praised Customs for their vigilance, revealing that some of the seized drugs had expired between 2001 and 2023.
He cautioned the public against purchasing medicines from roadside vendors. Similarly, NDLEA Deputy Commander of Narcotics, Nasir Bungudu, commended the collaboration and pledged to strengthen joint efforts against illicit trade.
