Customs Intercepts Illicit Drugs Worth ₦5.3 Billion Hidden in Imported Vehicles at Tin Can Island Port

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Tin Can Island Port Command, has seized consignments of illicit drugs concealed inside imported motor vehicles, with an estimated street value of ₦5.304 billion, the command announced on Friday.

In a press statement signed by the command’s Public Relations Officer, CSC OE Ivara, Comptroller Frank Onyeka, Customs Area Controller, said two containers were intercepted in separate intelligence-led operations. Physical examinations of the shipments, conducted jointly with other agencies, uncovered large quantities of cannabis (Cannabis/Colorado Indica), hashish oil and crystal methamphetamine concealed within chassis and components of the vehicles.

Details of the seizures
Comptroller Onyeka said the first container — HLXU8500072, bill of lading HLCUTOR2506000834 — which originated from Montreal, Canada, was intercepted on 4 September 2025 following targeted intelligence and enforcement activity. That container, he said, contained four vehicles in which officers discovered 156 packets of Cannabis Indica weighing 78 kilograms and 1.2 kilograms of hashish oil.

The second seizure occurred on 24 October 2025 when container FANU312876/9, again carrying four vehicles, was examined. Customs officials found 2,081 packets of Cannabis Indica weighing 1,093 kilograms and eight packages of crystal methamphetamine with a combined weight of eight kilograms concealed in the shipment.

“The combined street value of the narcotics seized from both containers is estimated at ₦5.304 billion,” the statement said, adding that the seizures reflect the command’s sustained vigilance against attempts to use maritime trade channels to traffic illicit substances.

Inter-agency handover and next steps
In keeping with established protocols, the recovered consignments were formally handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for forensic analysis, fuller investigation and prosecution. Commander Daniel Onyishi, Commander of Narcotics at the NDLEA’s Tincan Strategic Command, received the drugs and commended the Customs Service for the interception.

“The handover underscores strong operational collaboration between NCS and NDLEA, and we will ensure that these consignments undergo detailed investigation and that legal processes follow,” Commander Onyishi said. He reiterated the NDLEA’s commitment to thoroughly probe seized substances and to dispose of them in line with legal and environmental procedures.

Customs vows continued vigilance
Comptroller Onyeka used the occasion to warn criminal networks and individuals involved in transnational drug trafficking that Tin Can Island Port Command will remain uncompromising. He thanked personnel across partner security agencies — including the NDLEA, Nigeria Police Force and the Nigerian Navy — for their collaboration and pledged continued use of intelligence, technology and coordinated operations to secure maritime borders.

“Let it be known that Tin Can Island Port Command, under my watch, remains resolute, vigilant and uncompromising in enforcing the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the international conventions to which Nigeria is a signatory,” Onyeka said. He additionally urged legitimate traders to ensure full compliance with trade documentation and accurate cargo declarations.

Significance and context
Tin Can Island Port is one of Nigeria’s busiest maritime gateways and a frequent target for smuggling syndicates seeking to exploit legitimate trade flows. Concealment of contraband within vehicles and machinery is a recurring modus operandi identified by enforcement agencies in the region. The interception of these two containers highlights the continuing challenge posed by organised criminal networks that attempt to move narcotics through commercial import channels.

Authorities have indicated that investigations will focus on the origin and route of the shipments, possible local collaborators, and attempts to link these consignments with wider trafficking networks. Prosecution efforts will follow where sufficient evidence is established.

The NCS statement also acknowledged the support of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, and thanked media organisations for helping to raise public awareness about compliance and national security.