The Tin Can Island Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has arrested a twenty foot container carrying 200 highly compressed packges suspected to be cocaine.
The cocaine allegedly originated from New Zealand and shipped from Spain by Nigerite Nigeria Limited through a clearing agent named Elevation Transactions Limited.
Nigerite Nigeria Limited is a beneficiary of the fast track scheme of the customs service which enables it to import cargoes in large numbers without necessarily being inspected at the port premises.
According to the Customs Area Controller of Tin Can Port, Comptroller Bashir Yussuf, there were eight bags in the said container which were not declared, and each of the bags contained twenty five packs of the drug substance.
The packages were subsequently subjected to field test by officers of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) yesterday and was declared to be cocaine.
Briefing news men at the command yesterday, Comptroller Yussuf said officers of the command had received intelligence on one out of the seven containers imported by Nigeritecompany.
He said the other items inside the container were declared correctly but that the sack containing the drugs were not declared on the cargo manifest.
He said that Nigerite Limited will be removed from the customs fast track scheme and will be prosecuted accordingly.
Compt Bashir gave the container number as "CMAU 045195-022G1, a twenty foot container belonging to Nigerite Nigeria Limited located at Oba Akran, Ikeja Lagos"
"The cargo was processed by Elevations Transactions Limited, a clearing agent company at NPA commercial building in Lagos."
"The container was among other seventeen containers but this was picked because of the intelligence attached to it"
"It was packed along other products in the container that were manifested called; Virgin Cellulose Tassma for Cement"
Bashir called for synergy and collaboration by all regulatory agencies in the country to move the nation forward. According to him, whatever involves other agencies are usually handed over to them by customs.
This one involves the NDLEA so we are handing it over to them so that they would analyse in their laboratory and give us feedback.
Also speaking with journalists, Head of NDLEA at Tin Can Island Port, Mr.DanladiYashim assured that the agency will carry out preliminary test on the suspected cargo and continue investigations.
Meanwhile, Procurement Manager of Nigerite Nigeria Limited, Mr. Jonah Amata who was present at the port denied knowledge of the drugs in the container.
Jonah said the company was not aware of the items found in the bags.
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