Customs Intercepts Hard Drugs, Contrabands

Federal Operations Unit, Zone ‘C’ of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), has intercepted cannabis sativa, raw materials for the production of explosive devices and other contrabands with a Duty Paid Value (DPV), of N1.648 billion

The zone also arrested nine suspects in connection with the seizures between July 25 and September 23, 2023.

The acting comptroller of FOUC, Kayode Kolade, revealed this yesterday to newsmen at the Government Warehouse, Aduwawa, Benin City, Edo State.

Kolade, who frowned at the spate of smuggling in the zone, however, said that he recovered the sum of N54.244 million from demand notices raised based on some infractions noticed, making a cumulative sum of N1.634 billion within the months under review.

In addition to the 417 sacks of cannabis sativa also known as Indian hemp weighing 9,194kg and 627 compressed parcels of same Indian hemp 1kg each totaling 627kg, and nine sacks 50kg each of explosives’ raw materials, he listed other seizures as 1,329 bags, 50kg each of smuggled foreign parboiled rice ; 5 cartons of DSP Cough Syrup with codeine 100mg containing 1,000 bottles; one unit of armored bullion van; 761 jumbo bales of second hand clothing; 883 cartons of various unregistered/expired medicaments including tramadol; 100 cartons of various wines; 5,737 pieces of used pneumatic tyres; 335 cartons of smuggled foreign tomato paste; 300 cartons of foreign spaghetti.

He called on journalists to join NCS in the advocacy campaign against the hazard of smuggling to the Nation’s Economy, and to all well-meaning Nigerians to support the service with necessary intelligence and information that could assist the Service nip smuggling in the bud.