Customs thwart smuggling of 844 rifles and 112,500 rounds of ammo

• The Nigeria Customs Service successfully intercepted a bulk load of illegally transported weapons destined for the country
• The customs service has suspended the licenses of the routes through which the cargoes were transported, pending an active investigation into the crime.
• Officers responsible for the passage of the goods have also been suspended and will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law

The Nigerian Customs Service made a significant breakthrough by intercepting and seizing a total of 844 rifles and 112,500 rounds of live ammunition arriving from Turkey.

The weapons were illegally transported, having been omitted from the manifest of the ports. The guns and ammunition were concealed deep inside other products, such as doors, to evade detection by authorities.

Customs has announced that the agency would prosecute all complicit officials in the operation. Image: Fb/Nigeria Customs Service
Source: Twitter

The successful operation was announced on Monday, July 1, by the Comptroller General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, during a press conference.

The agency reiterated its commitment to fighting the inflow of unsanctioned materials.

The guns were most likely destined for individuals other than recognised security forces. At a time of heightened insecurity and chaos, the interception is a major victory for customs and the country.

The customs service revealed that they acted on credible intelligence to ground the flagged container for a thorough inspection.

The agency stated:

"Acting on credible intelligence on June 21, 2024, Customs officers, while inspecting a suspicious 1x40-foot container from Turkey, found it to contain 844 rifles and 112,500 rounds of live ammunition. These items were concealed among doors, furniture, plumbing fittings, and leather bags, with a total duty-paid value of ₦4,171,710,000.00."

Customs intercepts illegal drugs

In addition to the weapon seizure, the agency announced that another eight 40-foot containers were seized. These containers contained 1,050,000 bottles of CSC Cough Syrup with Codeine, 3,500,000 tablets of Trodol Benzhexol, and 720 bales of used clothes, with a duty-paid value of ₦13,915,710,000.00.

“These seizures result from our robust Risk Management System and collaboration with intelligence communities both locally and internationally. The container bearing the arms and ammunition will be handed over to the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons for further investigation and prosecution. Licenses and permits of warehouses and terminals involved have been suspended, and officers found complicit will face severe sanctions,” said Adeniyi.

Customs move to identify billionaires with illegally-imported jets

Meanwhile, Legit.ng had earlier reported that the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) had launched a thorough verification exercise targeting private jet owners operating in Nigeria.

The plan, disclosed in a statement signed by the Customs management, aims to identify private aircraft improperly imported without required documentation.

Source: Legit.ng