Nine containers carrying arms worth N13.9bn intercepted in Rivers
At least nine containers carrying offensive items, including arms, ammunition, Illicit drugs, and second-hand clothes worth N13.9 billion, have been intercepted by operatives of the Nigeria Customs Service.
According to Adewale Adeniyi, the Comptroller-General, NCS, while disclosing this on Monday while addressing journalists in Onne Port, Rivers State, one of the containers that 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’ve benefitted immensely from credible information through our collaboration with intelligence communities both at local, national and international levels,”
According to him, the importer tried to circumvent the procedure through the outlet of a private-bonded terminal.
“On Friday, 21st of June 2024, the auspicious container was subjected to a thorough physical examination. Inside the container were 844 units of assorted riffles and 12,500 pieces of life ammunition,” which Adeniyi said were “concealed with various items like doors, furniture fittings and leather bags.”
The NCS boss stated that the duty-paid value of the container was N4.2bn, adding 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,” the customs boss concluded.
