By Seun Ibiyemi
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone ‘A’, said it has intercepted 473 smuggling attempts and seized contraband goods with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of over ₦5.5 billion across the South-West within eight weeks.
Comptroller Gambo Aliyu, who disclosed this during a press briefing in Ikeja, Lagos, on Tuesday, said the unit intensified enforcement operations to combat economic sabotage and protect the nation’s borders.
Aliyu said the seizures included 8,794 bags of rice, 22 used vehicles, 1,863 used refrigerator compressors, 328 bales of used clothing, 1,188 kegs of vegetable oil, and 31,705 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).
Other items confiscated were 485 used tyres, 69 cartons of foreign spaghetti, 24 bags of sugar, and 531 cartons of poultry products.
He added that the unit also launched a special anti-smuggling initiative codenamed “Operation Hawk,” targeting drug trafficking networks and other illicit trade activities.
“As part of this operation, we successfully seized 3,340 parcels of cannabis indica, popularly known as ‘Ghanaian loud’, weighing 1,540kg,” he said.
In a related development, Aliyu disclosed that operatives intercepted a 71-year-old suspect along the Lagos-Abidjan corridor with 6.4kg of cocaine and methamphetamine concealed in a Toyota Highlander.
He said the drugs have an estimated street value of ₦2.35 billion.
According to him, all narcotics seized would be handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for further investigation and prosecution.
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The comptroller also revealed that officers intercepted four cylinders of high-grade mercury, a controlled substance used in illegal gold mining, noting that the suspect involved had been granted administrative bail pending further investigation.
On revenue performance, Aliyu said the unit recovered ₦97.7 million through demand notices issued over irregular import declarations, in addition to the ₦5.5 billion DPV recorded from seizures.
He attributed the successes to improved intelligence gathering, inter-agency collaboration, and the deployment of advanced technologies such as drone surveillance, satellite imagery, and geospatial intelligence.
Aliyu noted that the unit would soon commence a phased relocation to its newly commissioned headquarters in Iperu, Ogun State, to enhance operational efficiency and coordination.
He reaffirmed the commitment of the unit to tackling smuggling, facilitating legitimate trade, and supporting national economic growth.
“We will not relent in our mission to secure our borders and protect Nigeria’s economy from illicit trade practices,” he said.
