The Federal Operations Unit FOU Zone ‘A’ Lagos of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has reported the seizure of 12 truckloads of smuggled foreign parboiled rice and 1,431 kilogrammes of hard drugs classified as synthetic cannabis, popularly known as “Ghanaian Loud”, with a duty paid value (DPV) of N3.32 billion in Lagos and Ogun States.
The newly appointed Controller of the FOU, Ikeja, Comptroller Gambo Aliyu, who made this disclosure during a press briefing on Tuesday, said the seizures were the result of a strategic operational overhaul anchored on intelligence-led enforcement by officers and men of the unit.
According to him, the seized contrabands comprised 6,954 50kg bags of foreign parboiled rice, 77 bags of foreign sugar, 21 used vehicles popularly called ‘Tokunbo’ in local parlance, 3,362 jerry cans of foreign vegetable oil, 20,700 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), 915 bales of used clothes, and a 20-feet container loaded with stone-coated aluminum roofing sheets.
Aliyu also disclosed that in a major crackdown on drug trafficking, operatives of the Unit seized 3,029 parcels of synthetic cannabis weighing about 1,431kg in an operation he described as a “significant disruption of criminal supply networks fueling insecurity in the country.”
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He explained: “These seizures occurred against the backdrop of rising banditry, terrorism and other societal vices threatening national stability. Drug trafficking fuels these crimes by providing chemical stimulants that embolden perpetrators and erode social order.”
It would be recalled that the Unit had penultimate week intercepted four live pangolins rescued along Alapa Creek, Ajilete, Lagos, which it handed over to the Wildlife Conservation Centre so as to preserve the lives of the animals.
Also seized then by the Unit were a total of 581 used refrigerator compressors concealed in a vehicle, which posed a major environmental and public health risk to the citizen, especially considering the hazardous substances and greenhouse gas emissions.
The Comptroller expatiated: “This seizure aligns with section 55(1)(d) of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023, and the Basel Convention, both of which regulate trans-boundary movement of hazardous waste.
“The Unit has arrested eight suspects in connection with the seizures and are currently undergoing investigation. In line with our commitment to inter-agency collaboration, the seized cannabis would be formally handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for further investigation and prosecution.
“In addition to our enforcement mandate, the Unit also took steps to block revenue leakages, which led to the recovery of N36.89 million in unpaid duty through the issuance of Demand Notices DN, on under-declared consignments and other related import-export compliance breaches between December 10, 2025 till date”, Aliyu added.
He attributed the seizures to the gallantry and resilience of the officers of the Unit and support of the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, through adequate motivation and provision of tools for the operations
Aliyu restated the commitment of the FOU, Zone A to combating smuggling, trans-border crimes and economic sabotage, assuring that the Unit will sustain its efforts to facilitate legitimate trade through professionalism, intelligence-driven operations and collaboration with other security agencies and border communities.
