Nigeria Customs Service Cracks Down on Illicit Imports, Seizes ₦10 Billion Worth of Contraband

By Justin Huholds

In a monumental enforcement operation, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has seized 16 containers of prohibited goods, including arms, ammunition, and substandard pharmaceuticals, valued at over ₦10 billion. The seizures were made following intelligence-driven operations aimed at protecting the country from harmful imports and enforcing existing trade laws.

*Zero Tolerance for Illegal Imports*

Comptroller General of Customs (CGC) Adewale Adeniyi reaffirmed the NCS's zero-tolerance policy for illegal and substandard imports during a press briefing at the Apapa Area Command in Lagos. "These smuggled items have a harmful effect on the health and well-being of unsuspecting Nigerians who would have consumed them, in addition to causing insecurity in the country," he said.

*Seized Items*

The seized items include 202 cans of Colorado Loud, a Canadian hard drug, weighing 101kg, and concealed arms and ammunition, including two pump-action rifles, 25 ammunition cartridges, one pistol with 55 rounds, and related accessories. Other seizures include seven containers of expired drugs and prohibited medicaments, three containers of expired food items, and three containers of prohibited used clothing.

*Collaboration with Sister Agencies*

The NCS worked closely with sister agencies, including the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW), the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), to make the seizures. Representatives of these agencies commended the NCS for its vigilance and effectiveness in curbing the proliferation of illicit goods.

*Commitment to Enforcement*

The CGC stressed that the NCS would continue to work with strategic partners to ensure that harmful, substandard, and counterfeit products do not reach Nigerian markets. "Our vow to protect the national economy and the well-being of citizens and residents of Nigeria remains unshaken," he said.