Customs Intercepts N10bn Firearms, Expired Drugs At Lagos Port

The Nigeria Customs Service on Monday announced the interception of a cache of arms, ammunition, expired pharmaceuticals and drugs valued at N10 billion at the Apapa Port, Lagos.

Comptroller-General of the Service, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, who disclosed this on Monday, said the illicit goods were discovered in 16 containers at the Apapa Island Port in Lagos.

The Customs boss, however, said six suspects have since been arrested in connection with the seizures.

Adeniyi revealed that the containers were falsely declared to contain other items, but upon inspection, were found to hold large quantities of arms, ammunition, and expired medications.

The Comptroller-General, who commended the other sister agencies, especially officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), stated that the ban on the use of bonded terminals for the clearance of pharmaceuticals still subsists.

He explained that the importation of the containers violated laws and threatened the peace and security of the country.

“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. The duty paid value of all these seizures is more than N10bn,” Adeniyi said.

Giving details of the seizures, he explained that on receipt of credible information by Customs’ personnel, a 40ft container with registration number MRSU6407089 was jointly examined by the officers and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.

Adeniyi added that initially, the container was adjudged clean, but a secondary search by the two agencies revealed the concealment of 202 cans of Colorado loud, a Canadian drugs.

“Each of the cans weighs 500 grams, and the total seizure involved is 101 kilograms. However, the intel available to us suggests that it is not only about drugs inside the container. 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 several accessories,” he added

Adeniyi mentioned that other seizures include seven containers of expired drugs and prohibited medications, three containers of expired food items, particularly margarine, and three containers of absolutely prohibited used clothing.

The CGC highlighted that over the weekend, the service also launched an operation where a 40-foot container was seized.

“And it contained 1,290 sacks of frozen poultry products. Another container, FBIU5507953, a 40-ft container, also had 1,290 sacks of frozen chicken. Another interesting seizure has to do with an importation that has infringed intellectual property rights,” he added.

Speaking further, the CGC stated that one of the containers had 305 cartons of toothpaste that were concealed with beads and a ‘Jalabiya’ dress.

“It was a case of infringement of a brand owned by a Nigerian company. Because these products were also not registered by the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control in addition to the brand infringement, they are subject to seizure.

“Two other containers of expired chest and lung tablets without NAFDAC registration number were also seized,” he added.

Adeniyi said that the Service also intercepted two 40-foot containers carrying codeine.

“These two containers have also been seized. And the information that we had on these containers is linking the owners to those of the previous ones that we have made,” Adeniyi said.

“A total of five arrests have been made. Out of the five, three have been charged and they have appeared in court. And they are presently remanded in Ikoyi Prisons pending the hearing of the substantive case sometime next month,” Adeniyi said.