The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intercepted a significant 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, disclosed this while briefing journalists in Onne Port, Rivers State, on Monday.
Giving details of the seizures, Adeniyi said a 40-foot container carrying 844 rifles and 12,500 live ammunition rounds with a duty-paid value of N4.171 billion was concealed using doors, furniture, plumbing fittings, and leather bags.
He said six 40-foot containers containing 1 million bottles of CSC cough syrup with Codeine, 3.5 million Trodol Benzhexol tablets with N9.6 billion duty-paid value and two 40-foot containers with 720 bales of used clothes and N144 million duty-paid value were intercepted.
The customs boss said the weapon-laden container, which originated from Turkey, based on the number of risk factors associated with the importation, became a subject of interest to the service.
He said, “We have followed its sail across continents and we have benefitted immensely from credible information through our collaboration with intelligence communities both at local, national and international levels,”
The importer tried to circumvent the procedure through the outlet of a private-bonded terminal, he said.
“On Friday 21st of June 2024, the auspicious container was subjected to a thorough physical examination. Inside the container were 844 units of assorted rifles and 12,500 pieces of life ammunition, which were concealed with various items like doors, furniture fittings and leather bags,” he added.
He said 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.
He added that three suspects were arrested in connection with the seizures after securing a detention warrant from a competent court of justice.
On the other containers, Adeniyi said, “On Saturday, our officers intercepted eight pieces of 40-foot containers transiting from a bonded terminal.
“On examination, six of the containers were laden with 1.5 million bottles of cough syrup of codeine in 100ml sizes, 3.5m 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.”
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