The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has reaffirmed its zero tolerance for illegal and substandard imports following the interception of 16 containers laden with prohibited goods valued at over ₦10 billion.
Comptroller General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, disclosed this during a press briefing in Lagos, stating that the seizures resulted from sustained intelligence-driven operations to protect the country from harmful imports and enforce existing trade laws.
The seized items include prohibited drugs, expired medication, expired food, and other items that run foul of import prohibition guidelines, including arms and ammunition. One of the containers, which initially passed inspection, was found to contain 202 cans of Colorado Loud, a Canadian hard drug, weighing 101kg, as well as concealed arms and ammunition, including two pump-action rifles and ammunition cartridges.
Adeniyi emphasised that the NCS would continue to work closely with sister agencies to ensure that harmful, substandard, and counterfeit products do not reach Nigerian markets. He stressed that the Service’s vow to protect the national economy and the well-being of citizens and residents of Nigeria remains unshaken.
Representatives of sister agencies, including the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, commended the Service for its vigilance. The Director of the South-West Zone for NCCSALW noted that the seizure of arms and ammunition significantly aids in curbing the proliferation of small arms in the country, wishing the Nigeria Customs more success in their efforts.
The Customs Service has handed over the seized items worth ₦10 billion to relevant agencies, further demonstrating its commitment to protecting the country from harmful imports.