The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone A, Ikeja, has intercepted 195 smuggling attempts and seized prohibited and restricted goods with a total duty-paid value of ₦6.19 billion across the Southwest within four weeks.
The Acting Comptroller of the unit, Oladapo Afeni, disclosed this on Wednesday during his maiden press briefing, four weeks after assuming office.
Among the seized items were 5,986 parcels of cannabis weighing 3,407.83 kilogrammes, 23,220 machetes, 21 foreign-used vehicles, thousands of bags of foreign rice, 1,250 cartridges and other prohibited goods.
The Customs Service also intercepted 400 grammes of cocaine, 100 grammes of methamphetamine, 173 cartons of frozen poultry products, 6,949 cartons of spaghetti, 1,236 used tyres and 8,025 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).
Other items recovered included 459 bales and 39 jumbo sacks of second-hand clothing, 101 bags of imported sugar, eight live pangolins and 250 cartons of sardines without NAFDAC registration numbers.
Afeni expressed concern over the large quantity of cannabis intercepted, warning that drug abuse, particularly among young people, posed serious health and social challenges.
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He also raised concerns over the seizure of 23,220 machetes, noting that the illegal importation of such weapons could fuel violence, threaten public safety and undermine peaceful electoral processes.
The acting comptroller disclosed that the seized cocaine, methamphetamine and cannabis consignments had been handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for further investigation and prosecution.
He further revealed that the unit recovered ₦683.66 million in revenue between September 30, 2026, and the date of the briefing through compliance checks, import declaration reviews and the detection of undervaluation.
According to him, the interceptions resulted from improved intelligence gathering, surveillance, risk profiling and collaboration with relevant government agencies.
Afeni reaffirmed the unit’s commitment to facilitating legitimate trade while intensifying efforts against smuggling, false declarations and customs-related offences. He also urged members of the public to report suspicious activities and support the anti-smuggling campaign.
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