The Nigeria Customs Service, Tincan Island Port command, has intercepted 56.39kg of cocaine and 955kg of Colorado Indica (marijuana) smuggled from South Africa and Canada with a street value of N4.3 billion.

The comptroller general of customs, Adewale Adeniyi, said this in a media conference on Thursday in Lagos.

Mr Adeniyi said the cocaine was worth N2.4 billion, whereas the marijuana was valued at N1.9 billion. He added that the command intercepted five pistols, 445 rounds of live ammunition and several empty pistol magazines.

He attributed the successful interception and seizure of the various illicit substances to the command’s collaboration with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

Mr Adeniyi noted that these interception operations had brought to light a concerning trend wherein criminal networks engage in collaborative attempts to subvert the competency of the agencies tasked with mitigating the entry of such illicit substances.

According to him, recognising the threats and the collaborative nature of criminal activities, the NCS has prioritised strategic partnerships with stakeholders over the past seven months.

“Disrupting the link between illicit drugs, criminal activities, and access to arms and ammunition stands as a critical strategy in reducing overall crime rates. Suppressing drug-induced altered states and restricting criminal access to weaponry can significantly impact their operational capabilities.

“The interception and seizure of illicit substances, along with stringent control measures over the circulation of arms, are integral components of an effective crime prevention strategy. This approach aligns with the broader goal of enhancing public safety and underscores the NCS’s commitment to dismantling the foundations that sustain criminal enterprises, fostering a more secure environment for our citizens,” he said.

He listed the seized items as 65 packets of Colarado Indica weighing 32.5kg seized from 1X40FT container number UACU 534833/6 imported from Canada.

Others are 17 packets weighing 16.690kg confirmed to be cocaine, 151 packets Colarado Indica weighing 107 kg, one piece Gen2 Airsoft pistol with serial No. 471908, empty magazine, 49 rounds of 7.62 mm live ammunition, 197 rounds of 9mm live ammunition.

Precursor chemicals for the manufacture of crystal methamphetamine, eight bags weighing 25kg tartaric acid, and 100kg of unspecified substances seized from 1x40ft container number MSCU 458177/0 were imported from Durban, South Africa.

Forty packets weighing 39.7kg were confirmed to be cocaine, 1026 packets weighing 688.2kg were confirmed to be Colorado Indica, two pistols without serial numbers, and one pistol with serial number AZYSRA6YSO12101181, three empty magazines, 275rounds of 5.5mm M16 Tavor live ammunition.

Six rounds of 9mm blank ammunition were seized from 1x40ft container number THRU 796807/1 imported from Durban, South Africa. Two hundred twenty-six packets weighing 128kg confirmed to be Cannabis Indica seized from 1x40ft Container No.MEDU 785276/3 imported from Durban, South Africa.

(NAN)