Smuggling War: Customs FOU Zone ‘A’ Impounds ₦6.19bn Contraband, Recovers ₦683m In One Month
Smuggling War: Customs FOU Zone ‘A’ Impounds ₦6.19bn Contraband, Recovers ₦683m In One Month
By Success Okezie
The anti-smuggling war has intensified in the South-West as the Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone ‘A’ of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) announced the interception of 195 different consignments of prohibited and restricted goods with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of ₦6,194,695,947.05 in just four weeks.
The Acting Customs Area Controller of the Unit, Comptroller Oladapo Afeni, who unveiled the seizures on Tuesday during his maiden press briefing at the Unit’s headquarters in Ikeja, Lagos, said the feat was a product of intelligence-driven operations, enhanced border surveillance, risk-based cargo profiling and sustained synergy with other security agencies.
According to him, the seizures, recorded between September 30, 2026 and October 28, 2026, represent a significant blow to smugglers, economic saboteurs and cross-border criminal networks operating within the zone.
Breaking down the seizures, Comptroller Afeni disclosed that the Unit intercepted large quantities of foreign parboiled rice which included 3,028 bags of 50kg, 995 bags of 25kg, 104 bags of 20kg and 207 bags of 5kg, smuggled into the country in violation of Federal Government’s rice import policy
.
In the area of illicit drugs and dangerous substances, operatives impounded 5,986 parcels of Cannabis sativa and indica weighing 3,407.83kg, 57 cartons, 37 packs and six pieces of codeine syrup, 400 grammes of cocaine and 100 grammes of methamphetamine.
Other seizures were 173 cartons of imported frozen poultry products, 6,949 cartons of smuggled spaghetti, 459 bales and 39 jumbo sacks of second-hand clothing, 1,236 used tyres and 33 used rims, 8,025 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), 20 cartons of couscous, 101 bags of imported sugar and eight bags of powdered milk.
The Unit also intercepted 23,220 pieces of new machetes without the required End-User Certificate and other permits, 12 bags of grain oat products, a 40-foot container laden with 2,760 pieces of office chairs in Completely Knocked Down (CKD) form, eight live pangolins, 1,250 rounds of 12-calibre Red Star cartridges, 250 cartons of Lotus sardines without NAFDAC registration numbers, 21 foreign-used vehicles popularly known as Tokunbo and 11 means of conveyance used to perpetrate smuggling.
The Comptroller expressed deep concern over two categories of seizures – illicit drugs and machetes.
On drugs, he warned that the increasing influx of potent strains of cannabis and other hard drugs portends grave danger for Nigerian youths and families, quoting the 2025 World Drug Report of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) which identified cannabis as the most widely available and abused substance, responsible for about 42 per cent of drug use disorder cases globally.
On the 23,220 machetes, Afeni cautioned that the timing of the importation was suspicious, noting that such dangerous weapons could be deployed by criminal elements to disrupt the peaceful conduct of forthcoming elections if not intercepted.
Beyond enforcement, the FOU Zone ‘A’ boss said the Unit has also intensified its revenue recovery drive through meticulous compliance checks, detailed scrutiny of import declarations, correction of under-valuation and issuance of Demand Notices (DNs) to defaulters.
He disclosed that within the same four-week period, the Unit recovered the sum of ₦683,661,304.05 for the Federal Government, attributing the success to improved risk profiling, targeted examinations and continuous compliance monitoring.
Afeni reassured importers, licensed customs agents and genuine traders that the Unit will continue to facilitate legitimate trade, while maintaining zero tolerance for false declaration, duty evasion, concealment and any activity capable of undermining national security and economic stability.
He underscored the importance of inter-agency collaboration in combating transnational crimes, noting that the Unit has maintained a robust working relationship with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Nigerian Army, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and other agencies.
According to him, all seized narcotics and arrested suspects will be handed over to the NDLEA for further investigation and prosecution, while other prohibited items will be transferred to relevant agencies in accordance with their statutory responsibilities.
The Acting Comptroller appealed to members of the public, community leaders and other stakeholders to support the fight against smuggling by providing credible intelligence and promoting lawful trade, while commending the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, and the management of the Service for the trust and support extended to the Unit.
He pledged that under his watch, FOU Zone ‘A’ will sustain intelligence-led enforcement, aggressive revenue protection and professional service delivery in line with the CGC’s policy thrust.
About The Author
