The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit Zone ‘A’, Ikeja-Lagos, has launched a major offensive against smugglers and economic saboteurs, intercepting 220 consignments of prohibited and smuggled goods with a Duty Paid Value of N3.24 billion and recovering N728.98 million in lost government revenue.
The latest crackdown, described by the Unit as an intelligence-led assault on smuggling and customs fraud, saw operatives dismantle networks trafficking everything from foreign rice and poultry products to illicit drugs, used vehicles, petroleum products and endangered wildlife parts.
According to the Unit, the seizures were made through enhanced risk profiling, rigorous compliance checks, intelligence gathering and targeted operations against suspicious declarations and illicit trade corridors.
Among the staggering haul were 4,956 bags of 50kg foreign parboiled rice, equivalent to eight trailer loads, alongside 12 foreign-used vehicles, 686 cartons of foreign poultry products, 26 cartons of foreign vegetable oil, 414 bales of used clothing and 2,947 used tyres.
The operation also uncovered a dangerous stream of illicit substances, including 2,683 parcels of synthetic cannabis (Sativa) weighing 1,439.9kg, 49 parcels of Ghanaian Loud weighing 26.1kg, one parcel of crystal methamphetamine weighing 0.35kg and 13 parcels of granular cannabis weighing 1.35kg.
Customs operatives further seized 240,000 tablets of Tramadol and 12,000 tablets of Hypnox, in what the Service said underscored the growing threat posed by the illegal importation and circulation of controlled substances.
The enforcement haul extended beyond conventional smuggling.
The Unit intercepted 22 elephant tusks weighing 130.84kg, reinforcing the Customs Service’s role in the battle against illegal wildlife trafficking and the exploitation of endangered species.
Also intercepted were 964 25-litre jerrycans containing Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), equivalent to 24,100 litres.
The combined seizures, the Unit said, were valued at N3,237,132,640 in Duty Paid Value, while N728,976,725.03 was recovered for government coffers through interventions against revenue leakages arising from customs fraud and irregular declarations.
Comptroller of FOU ‘A’, Gambo Aliyu, described the revenue recovery as encouraging, declaring that the Unit would intensify its offensive against importers and operators who deliberately deprive the government of legitimate revenue.
Aliyu warned that the Unit would not allow under-declaration, false declarations or other customs fraud to become a profitable business model.
He urged importers, exporters and licensed customs agents to make accurate declarations and comply fully with extant customs laws and regulations.
According to him, Customs would continue to facilitate legitimate trade but would respond decisively to individuals and businesses involved in smuggling, revenue evasion and other forms of economic sabotage.
The Comptroller said the seizure of foreign rice, vegetable oil, poultry products, used vehicles, clothing and other prohibited items would help shield Nigerian manufacturers, farmers and other domestic producers from unfair competition created by illicit imports.
He added that blocking the influx of prohibited food products would also contribute to national food security while protecting legitimate government revenue.
The seizure of narcotics and controlled pharmaceutical products, he noted, was equally critical to public safety, particularly in preventing dangerous substances from reaching young Nigerians.
The elephant tusks, meanwhile, were described as further evidence of the Service’s contribution to Nigeria’s fight against wildlife trafficking and the protection of endangered species.
Aliyu stressed that the enforcement campaign was not designed to suffocate legitimate commerce, insisting that Customs was pursuing a balance between firm border enforcement and trade facilitation.
He attributed the latest successes to improved intelligence gathering, sophisticated risk profiling, inter-agency collaboration, intelligence fusion and cooperation from stakeholders and members of the public.
He assured compliant traders that the Service remained committed to building a fair, predictable and transparent trading environment.
But for smugglers and revenue cheats, the message was uncompromising.
The Unit warned that its zero-tolerance campaign against smuggling, customs fraud and economic sabotage would continue, with intelligence-led operations expected to intensify across trade corridors within its jurisdiction.
The NCS said the enforcement drive was part of broader efforts to support the Federal Government’s economic objectives by protecting domestic production, plugging revenue leakages, facilitating legitimate trade and preventing prohibited or harmful goods from entering the country.
The Unit also acknowledged the contributions of sister security agencies, stakeholders, border communities and members of the public, whose intelligence and cooperation it said had played a major role in the recent breakthroughs.
Aliyu consequently called for stronger cooperation from the business community and the public, stressing that sustained vigilance and compliance would be critical to consolidating gains in revenue recovery, border security, public safety and national economic development.
With N3.24 billion worth of contraband intercepted and nearly N729 million in revenue recovered, FOU ‘A’ has once again signalled that Nigeria’s customs corridors are becoming increasingly hostile territory for smugglers, drug traffickers, revenue cheats and other operators threatening the nation’s economic interests.
