Cocaine and arms worth N4.3bn from South Africa has been seized by the Nigeria Customs Service, Tincan Island Command.
In an address to journalists during the handing over of the seized contraband at the command on Thursday, The Comptroller General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, said that the seized contraband came from South Africa and Canada.
Colorado Indica weighing 32.5kilogram was also intercepted by the the command.
While giving details of the development to the public, Adeniyi said, “Other seized contraband included 65 packets of Colarado Indica weighing 32.5kg, seized from a 40-foot container with number UACU 534833/6, imported from Canada; 17 packets of a substance weighing 16.690kg confirmed to be cocaine; 151 packets Colarado Indica weighing 107 kg; one piece Gen2 Air Soft Pistol with serial number, 471908, and an empty magazine.
“Forty nine rounds of 7.62 mm live ammunition, 197 rounds of 9mm live ammunition, precursor chemicals for the manufacture of crystal methamphetamine, eight bags of tartaric acid weighing 25kg, 100kegs of unspecified substances seized from one 40 foot container with number, MSCU 458177/0 imported from Durban, South Africa.”
“Forty packets of substances weighing 39.7kg confirmed to be Cocaine, 1026 packets weighing 688.2kg confirmed to be Colarado Indica, 2 pistols without serial numbers, one pistol with serial number, AZYSRA6YSO12101181, 3 empty magazines, 275 rounds of 5.5mm M16 Tavor live ammunition, six rounds of 9mm blank ammunition seized from one 40 foot container with serial number, Thru 796807/1 imported from Durban, South Africa were also seized.”
According to CGC the total seized substances were 56.39kg of cocaine valued at N2.3bn, 955kg of Colorado Indica valued at N1.9bn,” all with street value of N4.3bn.”
“The summary of the weapons seized were five pistols, 445 rounds of live ammunition and several empty pistol magazines.”
The Director General of the NDLEA, Buba Marwa, while receiving the seized hard drugs, said that the handing over of the illicit drugs by the NCS was a development that spoke volumes about the hard work and diligence of security agencies tasked with securing the country’s territory.
Marwa who was represented at the event by the spokesperson for the NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, added that the seizure was a testament that just like the airports, the seaports were also secured.
The said, “The command and other units had diligently tracked the movement of the containers up to the time of their landing in our port.
“In the spirit of inter-agency collaboration, the NDLEA never hesitated to share intelligence with the Tincan Island Command of the NCS and also requested that the command ensured the containers were pinned down for 100 per cent examination.”
