Customs intercepted N26bn illegal arms, drugs in six months

The worth of illegal arms, ammunition, military wear, and hard drugs imported into Nigeria and confiscated by the Federal Government from the last week of January this year to the third week of July 2024 is N26.4bn, findings by The PUNCH showed.

The items, especially arms and hard drugs, which mainly originated from Turkey, South Africa, and Canada were intercepted at five commands of the Nigeria Customs Service within the period under review.

The commands include Tincan, Onne, Murtala Muhammed Aiport, Apapa, and Federal Operations Unit, Zone A.

Schedule 4 of the Customs Common External Tariff states that the importation of all military wares by individuals is prohibited. Also, an end-user certificate is required for the importation of controlled items and products into Nigeria.

An end-user-certificate is an undertaking by a purchaser/importer that any of the controlled items/products would be for lawful use within Nigeria; and must not be transferred or re-exported to any other entity or country and the importer obtains this from the Office of the National Security Adviser.

The PUNCH reports that on January 25, 2024, the Tincan Island Command of the NCS intercepted cocaine, arms, and ammunition worth N4.3bn.

The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, while addressing journalists during the handing over of the seized contraband at the command, had said the contraband came from South Africa and Canada, adding that the command also intercepted Colorado Indica weighing 32.5kg.

“Other seized contraband include 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 107kg, one piece Gen2 Air Soft Pistol with serial number, 471908, and empty magazine,” he stated.

According to Adeniyi, 49 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition, 197 rounds of 9mm live ammunition, precursor chemicals for the manufacture of crystal methamphetamine, eight bags of tartaric acid weighing 25kg, 100 kegs of unspecified substances seized from one 40-foot container with the number, MSCU 458177/0, were imported from Durban, South Africa.

The customs boss added that “40 packets of substances weighing 39.7kg confirmed to be cocaine, 1026 packets weighing 688.2kg confirmed to be Colorado Indica, two pistols without serial numbers, one pistol with serial number, AZYSRA6YSO12101181, three empty magazines, 275 rounds of 5.5mm M16 Tavor live ammunition, six rounds of 9mm blank ammunition from one 40 foot container with serial number, THRU 796807/1 imported from Durban, South Africa were also seized.”

On July 1, 2024, the NCS Port Harcourt Area II Command, Onne, said it intercepted and seized arms, ammunition, and other contraband worth N18.23bn in a drastic step to curb the smuggling of illicit items into the country through its borders.

Adeniyi, while displaying the contraband, said 848 rifles and 112,500 rounds of live ammunition, as well as illicit drugs, were intercepted at the Onne Port in Rivers State in containers originating from Turkey.

The CGC said the illegal arms were concealed in other items inside a 1X40 foot container ‘MAEU165396’, while the drugs found in different cartons were in nine containers.

Our correspondent gathered that the rifles and ammunition were concealed using various items such as doors, furniture, plumbing fittings, and leather bags.

The displayed exhibits include nine containers: one holding seized arms and ammunition valued at N4.17bn, six containing seized drugs valued at N13.92bn, and two containing used clothes valued at N144m.

Adeniyi said the service had also arrested three suspects connected with the arms importation, and they were in custody after securing a detention warrant from a court.

“With our robust Risk Management System, we have always remained a step ahead of their (criminals) moves. When these attempts revolve around revenue generation, our automated audit systems at different levels enable us to trace, track, and recover the revenue.

“However, when efforts are geared towards creating actions that will produce irreversible consequences on national security, our alert level is elevated to match the threats posed to us,” Adeniyi had stated.

He said the arms were intercepted through credible intelligence monitoring the shipments from their point of departure in collaboration with the local, national, and international intelligence communities.

The customs boss had earlier stated that on June 21, 2024, a suspicious container was subjected to a thorough physical examination. He said the examination result revealed the following alarming contents: 844 units of rifles, and 112,500 pieces of live ammunition.

“The rifles and ammunition were concealed using various items such as doors, furniture, plumbing fittings, and leather bags. The duty-paid value of the container is N4.17bn,” he stated.

On July 4, 2024, the NCS, Murtala Muhammed Area Command, said it also intercepted different military and paramilitary accouterments illegally imported, and recovered 55 pieces of unassembled Jojef Magnum (Tomahawk) semi-automatic shotguns, emanating from Turkey.

The service added that the arms had a duty-paid value of N271m, while the total value of the various items stood at N1.568bn.

On July 19, 2024, the Zone A Federal Operations Unit in Ikeja, Lagos, announced that it intercepted 150 cartons of bulletproof jackets worth N1.687bn.

The items were intercepted along the Ijebuode-Sagamu Expressway in Ogun State.

On July 18, 2024, the Apapa Area Command intercepted seven containers carrying illegally imported items. The NCS stated that two of the containers were carrying 12,000 pieces of cutlass, among other prohibited items.