The Nigeria Customs Service, Tin Can Island Port Command, has intercepted two containers laden with imported motor vehicles used to conceal large quantities of illicit drugs valued at over ₦5.3 billion.
The Command made this known during a press briefing held at its headquarters on Friday, October 24, 2025, where the Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Frank Onyeka, described the operation as a demonstration of the Service’s unrelenting commitment to border security and trade compliance.
According to Onyeka, the first container number HLXU8500072, with Bill of Lading Number HLCUTOR2506000834, originated from Montreal, Canada, and was intercepted on September 4, 2025, following credible intelligence and coordinated enforcement.
A 100% physical examination, conducted jointly with other security agencies, revealed four vehicles containing 156 packets of Colorado Indica (a strain of cannabis) weighing 78 kilograms, and 1.2 kilograms of Hashish Oil.
The second container, numbered FANU312876/9, was seized on October 24, 2025, after actionable intelligence led to its inspection. Inside, officers discovered 2,081 packages of Cannabis Indica weighing 1,093 kilogrammes, alongside eight packages of Crystal Methamphetamine (“Meth”) weighing 8 kilogrammes.
In line with inter-agency collaboration protocols, the seized drugs have been handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for further investigation and prosecution.
Comptroller Onyeka commended the NDLEA, the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian Navy, and other partner agencies for their cooperation in combating drug trafficking and other transnational crimes. He issued a stern warning to smugglers and criminal networks, stressing that illicit drug trade poses grave threats to national security, public health, and the economy.
“Let it be known that Tin Can Island Port Command, under my watch, remains resolute, vigilant, and uncompromising in enforcing the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and all international conventions to which Nigeria is a signatory,” Onyeka stated.
He also urged genuine importers and exporters to strictly adhere to trade regulations and ensure accurate declarations in all documentation, while appreciating the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, and his management team for their continuous support.
Receiving the seized items on behalf of the NDLEA, Commander of Narcotics, Tin Can Strategic Command, Commander Daniel Onyishi, commended the Nigeria Customs Service for its vigilance and professionalism, noting that the handover underscores the strong collaboration between both agencies in safeguarding the nation from the scourge of drug trafficking.
Commander Onyishi reaffirmed the NDLEA’s commitment to investigate and dispose of all seized substances in line with legal procedures, while strengthening partnerships with the Customs and other security agencies to achieve a drug-free Nigeria.
