The Customs service in Onne Port near Port Harcourt has said everything tough to deter smugglers but the same smugglers still try their tricks the very next moment; in guns, bullets, hard drugs, prohibited drugs, etc.
So, newsmen now know that no amount of threat will stop the next attempt and the next arrest.
Last week, the Comptroller General of Nigeria Customs Service, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, once again threatened tougher times against those smuggling contraband goods into the country.
The CG spoke at Area 2 Customs Command, Onne, Rivers State, while displaying contraband goods seized by the Customs.
The seized items were 16 containers, 11 of which contained assorted types of illicit hard drugs all valued at over N20billion.
The CG explained that the illicit items were concealed beneath legitimate consumer goods, including chilly cutters and ceiling fans to exploit legitimate trade channels and evade regulatory scrutiny.
He said: “Analysis of these seizures reveals sophisticated concealment tactics and systematic attempts to circumvent established import protocols. He said 11 containers were found to contain illicit pharmaceutical products: 1,301,000 bottles of Codeine Syrup (100ml each); 9,300,000 tablets of Really Extra Diclofenac, and many more.
The CG exposed how they did it: “The contraband items were strategically concealed within legitimate consumer goods including 9,280 pieces of chilly cutters, 118 pieces of ceiling fans, 2,610 pieces of plumbing materials, 2,268 pieces of Smart Tech vehicle parts, 97,200 tins of tomato paste, and 700 cartons of cream.”
Read also: Stakeholders want FG to dredge Onne port channel to boost vessel operations
He dwelt on the harms the contrabands cause the economy and the health of the nation especially addiction, compromised treatment outcomes, and the facilitation of organized criminal activities.
Adeniyi said that the customs efforts were in line with President Bola Tinubu’s comprehensive approach to combating transnational organized crime and ensuring that Nigeria’s borders remain impenetrable to criminal enterprises seeking to compromise the country’s sovereignty.
Adeniyi disclosed that the Nigeria Customs had since intensified intelligence-led enforcement across all commands, particularly focusing on high-risk corridors and ports of entry, to ensure that importation and exportation of contraband goods become a thing of the past.
While commending officers and men of the Port Harcourt Area II Command for their vigilance, professionalism, and dedication to duty which led to the successful interceptions, the CG reaffirmed the service’ commitment to supporting President Tinubu’s security and economic transformation agenda through enhanced border management, strengthened inter-agency collaboration, and sustained anti-smuggling operations.
“We shall deploy all resources at our disposal to ensure that Nigeria’s borders remain secure against those who would compromise our national health security and economic prosperity for criminal gains.
Earlier, the Controller, Port Harcourt Area II Command, Nigeria Customs Service, Mohammed Babandede, said the latest feat by the Command was achieved in collaboration with sister agencies most especially, Nigerian Draw Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the Directorate of State Security (DSS).
“We have today, 11 x 40 foot containers of illicit drugs, and 4 x 20 containers of prohibited tomatoe pastes, and 1 x40 container of assorted goods.
“We were able to achieve this because of the excellent relationship and collaboration which has been part of the CGC’s policy trust on collaboration, consolidation and innovation. So, we are not doing it alone, we are doing it in synergy with other sister agencies,” he said.
