THE Federal Operations Unit, FOU, Zone ‘A’ of Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, said it thwarted no fewer than 473 smuggling attempts across the South-West within eight weeks, seizing contraband goods with a Duty Paid Value, DPV, of over N5.5 billion.
The seizure includes illicit drugs worth N2.35 billion comprising cocaine and 3,340 parcels of cannabis.
Addressing newsmen, at the Customs College, Ikeja, Comptroller Gambo Aliyu, said the unit recorded 473 interceptions within eight weeks through intelligence-led operations targeting smugglers and other economic saboteurs.
Aliyu said the seizures include 8,794 bags of foreign rice, 22 used vehicles, 328 bales of used clothing, 1,188 kegs of vegetable oil, 31,705 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), 531 cartons of poultry products, 485 used tyres, 69 cartons of foreign spaghetti, and 24 bags of foreign sugar.
He noted that the unit also intercepted 3,340 compressed parcels of synthetic cannabis popularly known as “Ghanaian Loud,” weighing 1,540 kilogrammes, under a special anti-narcotics operation code-named “Operation Hawk.”
According to him, the operation was launched to curb illicit trafficking, protect government revenue, and safeguard the society from criminal activities linked to drug smuggling.
“Our analysis of recent trends indicates that traffickers are devising different methods to perpetuate illicit trade. This necessitated the integration of Human Intelligence and Open Source Intelligence operations, which are already yielding measurable results,” he said.
The FOU A Zone boss further disclosed that operatives at the Gbaji outpost intercepted a green Toyota Highlander along the Lagos-Abidjan corridor on April 30 after acting on credible intelligence.
He said the vehicle, driven by a 71-year-old suspect identified as Oni Iredia Martins, concealed six parcels of cocaine weighing 6.35 kilogrammes.
“The seizure consisted of 2.3kg of powdered cocaine and 4.05kg of crack cocaine, with an estimated street value of N2.35 billion,” he added.
Aliyu said the cocaine and cannabis would be handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency for further investigation and prosecution.
In another operation, the Comptroller said Customs operatives intercepted four cylinders of high-grade mercury concealed in the false bottom compartment of a Toyota Avensis at the Gbaji outpost.
He explained that mercury is a hazardous chemical controlled under the Minamata Convention due to its environmental risks and illegal use in artisanal gold mining.
