The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has seized a large cache of arms, ammunition, and drugs in Rivers State, with a total duty-paid value of N13.9 billion.
NCS Comptroller General, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, announced this during a press briefing at Onne Port, Rivers State.
Detailing the seizures, Adeniyi revealed that a 40-foot container carrying 844 rifles and 12,500 rounds of live ammunition, with a duty-paid value of N4.171 billion, was hidden using doors, furniture, plumbing fittings, and leather bags.
He also stated that six 40-foot containers containing 1 million bottles of CSC cough syrup with Codeine, 3.5 million Trodol Benzhexol tablets with a duty-paid value of N9.6 billion, and two 40-foot containers with 720 bales of used clothes and a duty-paid value of N144 million were intercepted.
Adeniyi said the weapon-laden container, which originated from Turkey, was flagged due to the number of risk factors associated with its importation.
“We have followed its sail across continents and have benefitted immensely from credible information through our collaboration with intelligence communities at local, national, and international levels,” he said.
The importer attempted to bypass the procedure through a private-bonded terminal, he added.
“On Friday, June 21, 2024, the container was subjected to a thorough physical examination. Inside were 844 units of assorted rifles and 12,500 pieces of live ammunition, concealed with various items like doors, furniture fittings, and leather bags,” he said.
He added that the items would be handed over to the Coordinator of the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons, under the office of the National Security Adviser, for diligent investigation and rigorous prosecution.
Three suspects were arrested in connection with the seizures after obtaining a detention warrant from a competent court of justice.
Regarding the other containers, Adeniyi said, “On Saturday, our officers intercepted eight pieces of 40-foot containers transiting from a bonded terminal. Upon examination, six of the containers were laden with 1.5 million bottles of cough syrup with codeine in 100ml sizes, and 3.5 million tablets of tramadol. The duty-paid value of the containers is N9.6bn. The total duty-paid value of the nine containers is N13.9bn.”
