The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Tin Can Island Port Command, has intercepted two containers of imported vehicles used to conceal illicit drugs worth over ₦5.3 billion, in what officials describe as one of the command’s most significant anti-smuggling operations this year.
At a press briefing held on Friday, 24 October 2025, the Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Frank Onyeka, disclosed that the seizures underscore the Command’s renewed commitment to intelligence-driven border enforcement and trade compliance.
According to Comptroller Onyeka, the first container—number HLXU8500072, originating from Montreal, Canada—was intercepted on 4 September 2025 following detailed intelligence analysis. A joint physical examination with other security agencies revealed 156 packets of Colorado Indica (cannabis) weighing 78 kilograms and 1.2 kilograms of Hashish Oil concealed within four imported vehicles.
The second container, numbered FANU312876/9, was intercepted on 24 October 2025 after actionable intelligence was received. It was found to conceal 2,081 packages of Cannabis Indica (1,093 kilograms) and eight packages of Crystal Methamphetamine (8 kilograms), also hidden within four vehicles.
The total value of the seized drugs is estimated at ₦5.304 billion, according to Customs valuation reports.
In line with established protocols, the seized narcotics have been formally handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for further investigation and prosecution.
Comptroller Onyeka commended the NDLEA, Nigerian Navy, Police, and other partner agencies for their collaboration, emphasizing that the Command remains “resolute, vigilant, and uncompromising in enforcing Nigeria’s laws and international trade conventions.”
He also urged importers and exporters to ensure full compliance with customs regulations and accurate declarations in all trade documentation.
The Area Controller expressed appreciation to the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, for his leadership support, and to the media for their role in public sensitization on national security and trade compliance.
Receiving the seized items, Commander of Narcotics, NDLEA Tin Can Strategic Command, Daniel Onyishi, lauded the Customs Service for its vigilance and professionalism. He described the operation as a reflection of the “strong spirit of inter-agency collaboration” in tackling the menace of drug trafficking.
Commander Onyishi reaffirmed the NDLEA’s commitment to thorough investigation and legal disposal of the substances, while pledging to deepen cooperation with Customs and other security agencies in the shared pursuit of a drug-free Nigeria.