Customs impounds ₦1.2bn contraband in Lagos

By Aisha Cole

The Federal Operations Unit, Zone A, Nigeria Customs Service, has listed 5,015 bags of foreign rice, equivalent to eight trailer loads, alongside 15 assorted used vehicles among the contrabands worth over ₦1.2 billion it seized in the past within the last six weeks.

The Controller, Comptroller Mohammed Shu’aibu, disclosed this during a media briefing in Lagos on Tuesday.

Shu’aibu listed other items intercepted by Customs operatives to 143 bales of used clothing, two jumbo sacks of used shoes, and one sack of assorted worn apparel 390 bottles of codeine, 310 foreign-branded drugs, 19 cards of tramadol, and 210 used tyres.

He also said a 20-foot container with number ONEU 2419369 FTC, containing 752 cartons of calcium lactate, was also seized for false declaration.

According to him, the total Duty Paid Value of the seized goods stood at ₦1.188 billion, underscoring the magnitude of the operations.

The Customs boss further revealed that 640 parcels of cannabis sativa, weighing 431.8 kilogrammes, and 460 jerrycans of petrol, totalling 11,500 litres, were also intercepted.

Other seized items included expired pharmaceuticals, footwear, and clothing recovered across border communities in Ogun, Oyo, Ondo, and Lagos states, highlighting the unit’s increased vigilance across the South-West.

The Customs’ boss also said four suspects were arrested in connection with the seizures and have been handed over to relevant agencies for investigation and prosecution.

Shu’aibu said the unit recovered ₦39.2 million through demand notices issued against under-valuations between 1 Sept. 1 and Oct. 7.

He reaffirmed the command’s commitment to facilitating legitimate trade and supporting lawful businesses while maintaining strict enforcement of customs regulations.

Demonstrating inter-agency collaboration, Shu’aibu handed the seized drugs and cannabis to NAFDAC and the NDLEA for further investigation and disposal.

He reiterated the unit’s resolve to enforce the 2016 ban on the importation of foreign parboiled rice through land borders.

The controller warned smugglers to desist or face sanctions and commended Comptroller-General Bashir Adeniyi for his exemplary leadership.

NAFDAC Chief Regulatory Officer, Mr Taiwo Kareem, lauded Customs’ vigilance, disclosing that the intercepted drugs had expired between 2001 and 2023.

He cautioned Nigerians against purchasing medicines from roadside chemists, stressing the risks of consuming expired or counterfeit products.

Deputy Commander of Narcotics, NDLEA, Mr Nasir Bungudu, also commended Customs for their cooperation and promised to strengthen inter-agency collaboration.

(NAN)