By Oluyinka Onigbinde
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has recorded another major breakthrough in its anti-smuggling operations with the interception of a container concealing pump-action rifle components and the seizure of cannabis-infused products valued at ₦373.8 million at the Tin Can Island Port Command.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, disclosed the development during a press briefing in Lagos on Thursday, describing the seizures as a significant setback for transnational criminal syndicates using Nigeria’s seaports to smuggle prohibited arms and illicit narcotics into the country.
According to Adeniyi, the arms interception followed intelligence generated through the Service’s risk management system, which flagged Container No. TEMU 184536/9 after it arrived aboard MV Velika on July 8, 2026, for detailed examination.
He said officers conducting a physical inspection at the Customs Enforcement Station discovered concealed crates containing knocked-down components preliminarily identified as JoJeff pump-action rifles.
“The recovered components are currently undergoing technical examination and inventory to determine their exact quantity and configuration,” he stated.
The Customs boss disclosed that the investigation later led to the arrest of one suspect on July 31 at the Migfo Bonded Terminal while allegedly attempting to process the release of the container.
According to him, documentary evidence, financial records and telecommunications analysis linked the suspect to the named consignee, including a ₦10,000 payment traced to a company account associated with the consignee on the day of the arrest.
He added that two suspects are currently in Customs custody assisting investigators, while another principal suspect has gone into hiding and is being actively tracked by law enforcement agencies.
In a separate operation, Customs officers intercepted two 40-foot containers concealing cannabis-infused products among legitimate imports, including two used vehicles, two used pumping generators, rolls of blue polypropylene spunbond fabric, tubular batteries and thunder arrester cables.
The seizure comprised 109 cartons of Delta-8 cannabis-infused pre-roll cookies containing 8,720 pieces weighing 17.44 kilograms with an estimated street value of ₦308.7 million.
Also recovered were 125 cartons of Delta-8 cannabis-infused gummies, comprising 740 packs weighing 515.2 kilograms valued at ₦40.7 million, as well as 73 cartons of cannabis-infused cookies containing 442 packs weighing 309.4 kilograms with an estimated value of ₦24.3 million.
The total estimated street value of the seized narcotics stood at ₦373,802,640.
Adeniyi said the seizures underscore the growing sophistication of international criminal networks that exploit legitimate trade channels to traffic prohibited weapons and dangerous narcotics into Nigeria.
He attributed the successful operations to the Service’s intelligence-driven enforcement strategy, improved risk profiling system and sustained collaboration with other security agencies.
Reaffirming Customs’ resolve to dismantle criminal networks, Adeniyi vowed that everyone connected with the illegal imports would be identified and brought to justice.
“Nigeria’s ports will never be safe havens for the trafficking of illicit weapons, narcotics or other prohibited goods,” he declared.
He commended officers of the Tin Can Island Port Command and the Customs Enforcement Unit for their vigilance and professionalism, while also appreciating the support of partner security agencies.
The Comptroller-General assured Nigerians that the Service remains committed to securing the nation’s borders, facilitating legitimate trade and preventing the importation of prohibited items. He also appealed to members of the public to continue providing credible intelligence to support the fight against smuggling and organised transnational crime.
He added that investigations into both seizures are ongoing, assuring that the Service will provide further updates as they unfold.
