The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Tin Can Island Port Command, Lagos has intercepted two containers loaded with imported vehicles used to conceal a large consignment of illicit drugs valued at over N5.3 billion.
Comptroller Frank Onyeka, who leads the Tin Can Island Command, disclosed the seizure while briefing journalists in Lagos on Friday.
Onyeka said the operation underscored the Service’s determination to secure the nation’s maritime borders and enforce compliance with international trade laws.
According to the Comptroller, the first container marked HLXU8500072 and accompanied by Bill of Lading HLCUTOR2506000834 arrived from Montreal, Canada, and was intercepted on September 4, 2025, following credible intelligence.
”During a joint examination involving Customs officers and officials from other security agencies, the container was found to contain four vehicles stuffed with 156 packets of Colorado Indica (a strain of cannabis) weighing 78 kilograms, along with 1.2 kilograms of hashish oil.
”A second container, numbered FANU312876/9, was intercepted on October 24, 2025, based on fresh intelligence reports.
”It also contained four vehicles, which upon inspection were found to conceal 2,081 packs of Cannabis Indica weighing 1,093 kilograms, and eight packs of Crystal Methamphetamine weighing eight kilograms.
”The total street value of the two seizures was placed at N5.304 billion, ” he said.
Onyeka explained that the interception resulted from sustained surveillance and intelligence sharing among security agencies.
He added that the Command has handed over the recovered narcotics to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for investigation and prosecution, in line with established inter-agency protocols.
“These seizures demonstrate our renewed commitment to preventing Nigeria from becoming a transit hub for illicit drugs,” the Comptroller said.
“Under my watch, the Tin Can Island Command remains alert, professional, and uncompromising in the enforcement of Nigerian laws and international conventions.”
He warned individuals and syndicates involved in drug trafficking to desist from their illegal trade, noting that smuggling posed severe threats to national security, public health, and economic stability.
The Customs chief praised the NDLEA, the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian Navy, and other partner agencies for their consistent cooperation in tackling transnational crimes.
He also expressed appreciation to the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, for his leadership and logistical support.
“We will continue to leverage technology, intelligence, and inter-agency collaboration to track down offenders and ensure they face the full weight of the law,” Onyeka added.
Receiving the seized drugs on behalf of the NDLEA, Commander Daniel Onyishi, who heads the Agency’s Tin Can Strategic Command, commended the Customs Service for its vigilance and professionalism.
Onyishi said the seizure was proof of the effective partnership between both agencies, emphasizing that all confiscated substances would undergo full investigation and be disposed of according to legal procedures.
“This level of synergy is what we need to keep Nigeria safe from drug cartels.
“The NDLEA will continue to work closely with Customs and other agencies to achieve a drug-free nation, ” he said.
The operation is one of the largest drug-related interceptions recorded at the Tin Can Island Port in recent years, reinforcing Nigeria’s intensified crackdown on narcotics smuggling through maritime routes.
