The Area Controller, Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Port and Terminal Multi-services Limited (PTML) Command, Joe Anani, on Tuesday disclosed that the service has intercepted a cocaine shipment valued at N29.4 billion.
Anani, who made this disclosure to newsmen on Tuesday at the port in Lagos, said the interception followed a report from the PTML terminal operator, who discovered suspicious packages in one of the 39 empty containers meant for export loading.
According to Ani, the 20ft container with serial number GCNU1332851, brought in from Freetown, Sierra Leone, was flagged during a routine disinfection exercise.
“The terminal operator alerted the command immediately, and a joint examination was conducted alongside officers of the NDLEA, Department of State Services (DSS), Police Anti-Bomb Squad, and other agencies,” Anani said, just as he also disclosed that that 50 packages containing 20 parcels each were uncovered during the inspection. Rapid tests confirmed the contents as cocaine, weighing a total of 1,000 kilograms (one tonne), with a duty paid value (DPV) of ₦29,403,738,000.
“It is important to note that this container did not arrive in Nigeria as an import consignment. It was part of a batch of empty containers brought in by the terminal operator for export purposes,” he said just as he also described the incident as one of the most “mysterious cocaine interceptions” in the Service’s history, highlighting that no arrest had been made since the container had no consignee linked to it.”
The Customs chief praised the PTML terminal operator for promptly reporting the anomaly and commended the collaboration between security agencies in handling the operation.
“This seizure underscores the high level of cooperation and vigilance among our officers, terminal operators, and sister security agencies,” he said.
Ani also reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to protecting the integrity of Nigeria’s ports and ensuring that PTML remains a “no-go area” for prohibited imports and exports.
“On behalf of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, we will be handing over the seizure to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for further investigation and necessary action,” he said.
