By Steve Agbota
The operatives of the Federal Operations Unit Zone ‘A’ Ikeja, Lagos of the Nigeria Customs Service has arrested seven suspected smugglers in connection with hard drugs, bullet proof vests and others items worth N1.285 billion in Southwest.
The Controller of the Unit, Comptroller Muhammed Shuaibu stated this during a press briefing, saying that these seizures was on the heels of successes recorded in its anti-smuggling activities just three weeks after he assumed the leadership of the unit on the April 23, 2025.
According to him the unit seized over seven trailer loads of foreign parboiled rice, premium motor spirit, vehicles, drugs and narcotics among others with a duty paid value of over N1.5 billion.
“It is pertinent to state that our renewed vigour to fight smuggling and criminalities through intelligence-driven operations has continued to payoff as the resilience and dedication of our operatives has inflicted substantial losses on some economic saboteurs who are bent on bringing our country to its knees through their nefarious activities.
“On May 23 and 24,2025, at about 3:00 am, and 2:30 am, our patrol teams within Lagos metropolis acting on intelligence,intercepted and seized 2X40FT containers with containers numbers (MSCU 5295718 and MRSU 5856090) respectively,along Ijora-Olopa, and mile 2 axis,” he said.
According to him, examination reports of these containers revealed the following contents: seven Mitsubishi Canters, five Toyota Hiace Buses, and three Mini Shuttle Buses all cut up with their parts complete with clear intention of evade Customs duties.
He said other items include:used bicycles, 312, Bales of printed wax, 23 Bales of used clothing, 42 used gas cylinders, and 30 used flat screens televisions, 65 table top cookers, and 31 unit of used split air conditioning and among others. The importation of these items contravenes schedule 4 of the common external tariff.
“Similarly, on the May 19, 2025, at about 3:00 am another patrol team intercepted a Volvo truck and investigation revealed to contains 1263 pieces of used tyres and other goods. One suspect was also arrested. In the same vein, on May 19, 2025, at about 2:30 am, our officers on a routine patrol along Shagamu/Ijebu-Ode expressway in Ogun State, intercepted one truck with registration number T24623LA suspected to be conveying uncustoms goods including Bullet Proof vests,” he added.