Tin Can Island Port Customs Seizes ₦4.7 Billion Cannabis Haul in Major Drug Bust

By Lod Onyeji

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has made a significant breakthrough in the fight against drug trafficking, seizing a 40-foot container filled with 1,183 kilograms of Cannabis Indica, valued at approximately ₦4.7 billion. The contraband was discovered hidden within three used vehicles, including a Hyundai Santa Fe, Toyota Sienna, and Toyota Matrix, at the Tincan Island Port Command in Lagos.

The seizure was made possible through a collaborative effort between the Customs Service, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), and Department of State Services (DSS). One suspect has been arrested in connection with the seizure, and the seized narcotics will be handed over to the NDLEA for further investigation and prosecution.

Comptroller FO Onyeka, Customs Area Controller, emphasized the Service's commitment to protecting national security and public health, stating, "The Nigeria Customs Service reiterates that it will not tolerate drug smuggling or any form of transnational crime and remains resolute in its commitment to safeguarding national security and public health".

This latest seizure aligns with this year's World Customs Organization (WCO) International Customs Day theme, "Customs Protecting Society through Vigilance and Commitment".

Some notable seizures in the recent past include:

- *1,183 kilograms of Cannabis Indica* valued at ₦4.7 billion

- *347.5 kilograms of Canadian Loud* seized at Apapa Port

- *86.1 kilograms of Cannabis Sativa* handed over to NDLEA in Owerri

With the illicit traders recalcitrance, Onyeka and his gallant vigilant men enthused by the Comptroller General Bashir Adewale Adeniyi's emotional, mental, physical, technical and technological support, courageously annihilating them for the good of the Nation's economy and health.