The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on Monday, 01 July said it intercepted nine containers bearing offensive items, including arms, ammunition, illicit drugs and second-hand clothing with a total duty paid value of N13.915 billion.
Comptroller General, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi disclosed this at a press briefing in Onne, River State saying one of the containers, a 40-footer originated from Turkey. Adeniyi said the said container became a subject of interest for the Nigeria Customs Service based on the number of risk factors associated with its importation.
According to Adeniyi, a thorough examination of the container revealed the following alarming contents: Eight Hundred Forty-Four (844) units of rifles and Hundred Twelve Thousand, Five Hundred (112,500) pieces of live ammunition. “The breakdown is as follows: 764 units of Tomahawk Jojef Magnum Black Pump Action Rifles 10 units of VC Verney Caron Gunmakers Jojef Magnum Silver Pump Action Rifles 50 units of VC Verney Caron Gunmaker Double Barrel Rifles 20 units of VC Verney Caron Gunmaker Single Barrel Rifles Exclusive Series, Sterling High-Quality Live Ammunition 34g – 25 Plastic Shotgun Shells (70MM).” The rifles and ammunition, he said, were concealed using various items such as doors, furniture, plumbing fittings, and leather bags. The duty-paid value of the single container was N4.171 billion.
Adeniyi, however, disclosed that three suspects had been arrested in connection with the seizure. “We have followed its sail across continents, and we have benefitted immensely from credible information through our collaboration with intelligence communities both at local, national and international levels. The importer tried to circumvent our procedure through the outlet of a private bonded terminal.
On Friday 21st of June 2024, the auspicious container was subjected to thorough physical examination, hence the discovery.” In a related development, the Customs CG said officers, through synergy, collaboration, and intelligence sharing, on Saturday, 29 June 2024, intercepted yet another 8×40-foot container in transit to a bonded warehouse from Onne Port. “Upon examination, they were found to contain the following: Six containers laden with 1,050,000 bottles of CSC Cough Syrup with Codeine (100ml), 3,500,000 tablets of Trodol Benzhexol Tablets (5mg) Duty-paid value: N9.60 billion.
Two containers laden with 720 bales of used clothes with a duty-paid value of N144 million. The total duty-paid value of the nine displayed containers is N13.915billion.” Adeniyi said the Licenses and Permit issued for the operation of all the Warehouses and Terminals as well as those of their Customs Agents involved in these cases have been suspended pending the determination of their involvement.
He also said Customs Officers, who were found complicit in the perpetration of the nefarious act would be heavily sanctioned in a manner that would be approved by the Board of the Nigeria Customs Service. According to him, officers who kept faith with the Oath of allegiance to the Federal Republic of Nigeria and refused to be bribed into releasing these containers would be adequately rewarded in a manner provided by the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023.
