The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Federal Operations Unit, Zone A, recently took a big step in fighting drugs. They seized 6,488kg of Cannabis Sativa, worth N519,040,000, and handed it over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) along with four arrested suspects.
At a special event in Lagos, Comptroller Kola Oladeji from the Customs Unit said that working with other agencies is very important to stop drug trafficking.
He explained how bad cannabis can be for people and communities.
“Cannabis Sativa is very dangerous for our communities. It not only harms a person’s health but also leads to problems like crime and violence,” Oladeji said.
Oladeji also warned young people against getting involved in drug trafficking. He said they are not only risking their own lives but also making their communities unsafe.
“Young people who sell or distribute drugs like cannabis are putting themselves in danger and making our society less safe,” he added. He called for everyone to work together to create a drug-free environment for the future.
Deputy State Commander Adekunle Makinde from the NDLEA thanked the NCS for their hard work in seizing the illegal drugs.
What you should know
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has been working very hard to stop smuggling and collect more revenue. In August 2024, they collected N277.5 billion in import duties and N15.8 billion in excise duties, according to their spokesperson Mr. Abdullahi Maiwada.
Maiwada also said that the NCS made 83 seizures in various places during the same time, which included 1,014 parcels of cannabis sativa and 23 vehicles. The total value of these seized items was N975,066,791.65.
In July 2024, the NCS stopped smuggled goods worth more than N8 billion. These included donkey skins, Tramadol, machetes, foreign rice, cannabis, and poultry products. They made 70 seizures and arrested 14 suspects.
Earlier, the NCS had a major victory at Apapa Port by intercepting Tramadol and expired pharmaceutical products worth N1.8 billion. These items did not have NAFDAC registration and were falsely declared to avoid paying duties, showing the ongoing efforts by Customs to stop smuggling.
Recently, the Nigeria Customs Service introduced Radiological and Nuclear Detection to make the country’s border security even stronger.