- Nigerian Customs Seizes N5bn Worth of Illicit Drugs in Oshodi, Lagos
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on Friday seized N5bn worth of illegal drugs in a warehouse located in Oshodi, Lagos State.
The National Public Relations Officer of NCS, Assist. Comptroller Joseph Attah, disclosed this in a tour organized for newsmen which revealed large amounts of drugs loaded in trucks that were parked in a store at the NCS Training College in Ikeja.
According to him, the smugglers took advantage of the Eid-el-Kabir celebration to carry out the act; thinking that operatives of the NCS would be less vigilant at that time; because of the festive season but were caught unawares after they were tailed by the NCS.
He said, “Our officers intercepted the illicit drugs as the smugglers attempted to move it from Lagos to other parts of the country.’’
He went on to narrate what transpired: “On August 13, at about 2 a.m, operatives of the Headquarters Strike Force Zone A intercepted a truck laden with dreaded codeine, tramadol and other controlled pain killers along Maryland, Ikeja road.”
“The intercepted trailer contains illicit drugs and was immediately brought to the attention of the team leader of the force, Assist. Comptroller of Customs Usman Yahya, who deepened preliminary investigation that led to the discovery of a warehouse along Oshodi-Mile 2 road.”
“The warehouse was stocked with tramadol, codeine and other unregistered pharmaceutical products without the National Agency for Foods Drugs Administration and Control number.”
He added that the warehouse was immediately sealed with a detachment of armed officers to guard the place.
He also said that the Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (rtd) has instructed that careful investigations be carried out immediately to fish out the culprits and charge them to court accordingly.
He added that the driver of the truck has been arrested and that an assessment of the drugs has commenced.