… Handovers Cannabis sativa, tramadol to NDLEA, NAFDAC
By Steve Agbota
The Federal Operations Unit, Zone A (FOU A) of the Nigeria Customs Service, Ikeja, on Friday said that it arrested four suspected smugglers in connection with the various seizures with a duty paid value (DPV) of N1.501 billion.
The Controller, FOU ‘A’, Comptroller Mohammed Shuaibu stated this during his maiden press briefing while addressing newsmen in Lagos, said that the Unit seized illicit drugs, which include 246kg Cannabis Sativa and 82 packs of Tramadol and handed over to to the National Drug Law and Enforcement Agency ( NDLEA ) and the tramadol capsules will be handed over to the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) for further investigation and prosecution.
According to him, the Nigeria Customs Service remains resolute in its efforts to combat smuggling, counterfeit products, and other forms of illicit trade.
“These achievements testify to our unwavering dedication to protecting our economy and citizens. We will continue to collaborate with sister security agencies and border communities to dismantle the networks engaged in illicit activities,” he said.
However, he said the unit generates revenue primarily through the interventions executed by its personnel, issuing demand notices (DN) where shortfalls are identified, and conducting auction sales of seized perishable goods.
“We have diligently optimised these revenue streams to ensure accurate recovery of funds.
As of today, we have successfully recovered a total of N20.792 million through the issuance of demand notices from irregular importation and auction sales of seized petroleum products.
“On anti-smuggling, since undertaking my role, I have initiated a transformation of our operational strategies, moving away from traditional stop-and-search methods to more intelligence-driven operations that reduce unnecessary delays.
“In a significant achievement in our ongoing battle against illicit trade, our team acted on credible intelligence and successfully intercepted and seized 7X20ft containers filled with various illicit items within the Lagos metropolis preliminary investigations revealed the following contents: MSKU 8551954 – Used tyres and vehicle, SYDU 1479614 = foreign parboiled rice, MSKU 7751689 = foreign parboiled rice, MSKU 798700 = foreign parboiled rice, ZCSU 8845072 = new shoes? ZCSU 7055181= new clothes, PIDU 4258491= new bags,” he said.
In the same vein, he revealed that the Unit’s renewed efforts have significantly bolstered its strategies to secure Nigeria’s southwestern states’ borders against economic saboteurs.
“Within this short period of three(3) weeks, this unit has inflicted substantial losses on these non-state actors through the interception of numerous illegal goods. Notable seizures include: 4,085 bags of foreign parboiled rice, each weighing 50kg—equivalent to seven (7) trailer loads,” he said.
He said other seizures are 15 illegally imported foreign-used vehicles, 82 packs of Tramadol, with 10 sachets per pack, 246 kilograms of Cannabis Sativa, 290 jerry cans of premium motor spirit (PMS) and 12 Bales and four sacks of used clothing.
“We encourage the general public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities related to smuggling or illicit trade. I also urged our declarants to remain honest in their declarations to avoid unnecessary bottlenecks.
“In an era characterised by increasing global integration, efficient trade facilitation is vital for unlocking economic potential, creating jobs, and fostering regional integration. I take this responsibility seriously.
“Our intelligence-driven operations are designed to create a more efficient, transparent, and inclusive trading environment that will benefit our stakeholders and the public through barrier-free operations, as we intend to collapse all patrol points within the Lagos metropolis,” he added.