A cache of arms, ammunition, and drugs with a total duty-paid value of N13.9 billion have been seized in Rivers State by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).
The NCS Comptroller General, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, disclosed this in Onne Port, Rivers State, on Monday, adding that a 40-foot container carrying 844 rifles and 12,500 live ammunition rounds with a duty-paid value of N4.171 billion was concealed using doors, furniture, plumbing fittings, and leather bags.
He said six 40-foot containers carried 1 million bottles of CSC cough syrup with Codeine, 3.5 million Trodol Benzhexol tablets with N9.6 billion duty-paid value and two 40-foot containers with 720 bales of used clothes and N144 million duty-paid value were intercepted.
According to Adeniyi, the weapon-laden container was imported from Turkey, adding that 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 have benefitted immensely from credible information through our collaboration with intelligence communities both at local, national and international levels,”
He said 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 rifles and 12,500 pieces of life ammunition, which were concealed with various items like doors, furniture fittings and leather bags,” he added.
The items would be handed over to the Coordinator of the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons, under the office of the National Security Adviser for diligent investigation, and rigorous prosecution, Adeniyi
He said three suspects in connection with the seizures had been arrested after securing a detention warrant from a competent court of justice.
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 ladened 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.”
