Customs Anti-Smuggling Unit Impounds Indian Hamp, Used cars, others Worth Over N1bn In Three Weeks

 

By Stella Okocha 

Harboursandport.com: Lagos - June 21,2025: The Federal Operations Unit, FOU, Zone A of the Nigerian Customs Service, has impounded 1,665 kilograms of Indian Hamp (Cannabis Sativa), 11 fairly used vehicles popularly referred to as Tokunbo, 4 trailers of foreign parboiled rice worth over N1 billion in three weeks.

Federal Operations Unit Customs Area Comptroller Mohammed Shuaibu 

The Customs Area Controller, CAC of the Unit, Mohammed Shuaibu, who disclosed this at a press briefing in Lagos recently, noted that the Command recorded 46 interceptions, seven arrests in connection to the various seizures.

The Customs boss explained that the seized items have a Duty Paid Value, DPV worth over N1 billion.

The Customs boss disclosed that the various seizures includes: four trailer loads of 2051 X 50 kg foreign parboiled rice; 11 used vehicles, popularly known as tokumbo vehicles; 1665b kg of Cannabis Sativa; 4000 litres of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS; one white and Black J5 commercial Bus loaded with expired goods and one Volvo Truck containing 180 sacks of new towel. 

He also pointed that on the 19th of May 2025, the officers on a routine patrol along Shagamu/Ijebu-Ode express way in Ogun State, intercepted a truck with registration number T24623LA suspected to be conveying uncustoms goods including Bullet Proof vests, which also revealed that the content includes some packages of Tramadol. The unit patrol teams within Lagos metropolis also acted on intelligence and intercepted and seized 2 X 40 feet containers with containers numbers (MSCU 5295718 and MRSU 5856090) respectively on the 23rd and 24th of May 2025 along Ijora-Olopa, and mile 2 axis. The 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. 

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. 

He pointed out that the importation of these items contravenes schedule 4 of the common external tariff. 

In his words, "The Nigeria Customs Service as a lead agency in border security and facilitators of trade, we are not unaware of the need to balance both responsibilities through risk management tools at our disposal. We are also aware that those whose illicit businesses have been significantly hindered by our operations will spare no efforts in devising different methods to counter us. It is pertinent to states that our renewed vigor 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."

"Additionally, our patrol teams around the borders areas across the six (6) states of the Southwest have intensified surveillance of our borders against unscrupulous elements among Nigerians, resulting in several seizures of rice, Cannabis Sativa, used cars and other goods in a flash points of Imeko, Ilaro, Owode, Idiroko , Ilara, Ihumbo, Abeokuta, Badagry, Agbara, Gbaji, shaki and Iseyin in Oyo state."

Shuaibu assured the public that their responsibilities will not be deterred by naysayers or anyone with the intention of casting aspirations on officers who have always paid ultimate price for the service to their country. 

"As criminals get more desperate and daring, we at the Federal Operations Unit Zone 'A' will ensure the sustainability of a more formidable defense against any antics devised by these non-state actors. The Nigeria Customs Service will continue to design and implement sustainable programs that will grow our economy, increase revenue for the government, and encourage legitimate trade. The seized 1665kg of Indian hemp and will be handed over to the relevant agencies for further investigation and prosecution. The unit continued to harness all revenue components under the unit to recover loss revenue from the evaders. Within these two weeks of operations, the unit recovered over N48,000,000 through issuance of Demand Notices, DN from the improper declaration of consignments".

While speaking on other matters related to the Unit, he also added that the institutional activities which have been relegated to the background like the monthly parades, weekly sporting activities, and conducive working atmosphere were major concerns to him, and immediately resuscitated the monthly parades and weekly sporting activities, which he intends to invite people, our media friends, to come watch in one of these days.