The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Tin Can Island Port Command, has announced the interception of two containers used to smuggle illicit drugs concealed within motor vehicles, with a combined street value estimated at ₦5.304 billion.
In a statement released Friday, Public Relations Officer CSC OE Ivara confirmed the seizures and described them as a major success in the Command’s ongoing efforts to safeguard Nigeria’s borders and enforce international trade regulations.
Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Frank Onyeka, disclosed that the first container—number HLXU8500072, originating from Montreal, Canada—was intercepted on 4 September 2025 following coordinated intelligence operations. Upon inspection, the container was found to contain four vehicles concealing 156 packets of Colorado Indica (a strain of cannabis) weighing 78 kilograms, along with 1.2 kilograms of Hashish Oil.
The second container, numbered FANU 312876/9, was intercepted on 24 October 2025. It also carried four vehicles and was found to conceal 2,081 packages of Cannabis Indica weighing 1,093 kilograms and eight packages of Crystal Methamphetamine weighing eight kilograms.
The seized narcotics have been formally handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for further investigation and prosecution, in line with inter-agency protocols.
Comptroller Onyeka commended the NDLEA, Nigeria Police Force, Nigerian Navy, and other stakeholders for their collaboration in combating transnational drug trafficking. He issued a stern warning to smugglers, stating that such criminal activities threaten national security and public health.
“Tin Can Island Port Command, under my watch, remains resolute, vigilant, and uncompromising in enforcing the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and all international conventions to which Nigeria is a signatory,” Onyeka said.
He urged legitimate importers and exporters to comply strictly with trade regulations and ensure accurate documentation. He also expressed gratitude to Comptroller General Bashir Adeniyi and the Customs management team for their support, and praised the professionalism of officers involved in the operation.
Receiving the seized items, Commander Daniel Onyishi of the NDLEA Tincan Strategic Command lauded the Customs Service for its vigilance and reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to thorough investigation and lawful disposal of narcotics.
“The handover reflects the strong spirit of collaboration between both agencies in safeguarding the nation against the menace of drug trafficking,” Onyishi said, pledging continued partnership in pursuit of a drug-free Nigeria.
