The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Tin Can Island Port Command, has intercepted two 40-foot containers carrying suspected illicit drugs with an estimated street value of N3.67bn at the port in Lagos.
According to a statement issued on Friday by the command’s Public Relations Officer, Oscar Ivara, the substances, including Delta-8 cannabis-infused cookies and gummies, were concealed among imported used vehicles and automobile spare parts.
Ivara attributed the seizures to the vigilance of Customs officers and collaboration between the NCS and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
He said the first container, with identification number MSDU655132/0, was intercepted on 2 September 2026.
“Following a thorough 100 per cent joint physical examination conducted by both agencies, it was found to contain a total of 890 packs of Delta-8 cannabis-infused cookies and gummies, with a combined weight of 598.08 kilogrammes, alongside two used vehicles, namely a 2008 Mercedes-Benz and a 2012 Nissan Infiniti,” Ivara said.
He said an examination of the second container uncovered “1,207 packages of Cannabis Indica weighing 603.75 kilogrammes, with an estimated street value of N3.62bn”.
The container also contained two used Toyota Sienna vehicles, two used Toyota Corolla vehicles and used engine spare parts.
Ivara said the substances recovered from both containers weighed a total of 1,201.83 kilogrammes and had an estimated combined street value of N3.67bn.
He said concealing the substances among vehicles and automobile components illustrated how smugglers attempted to exploit containerised cargo to bring prohibited items into the country.
According to him, the seizures demonstrated the agencies’ commitment to preventing the movement of illicit substances through Nigeria’s seaports and protecting public health and security.
He added that the seized substances would be formally handed over to the NDLEA for further investigation and other actions within its statutory mandate.
“This partnership between the NCS and the NDLEA remains critical to identifying, intercepting and dismantling the activities of individuals and networks involved in drug trafficking,” Ivara said.
He commended officers of both agencies for their alertness and professionalism, stressing that sustained cooperation was essential to tackling smuggling and other transnational crimes.
“Let me use this opportunity to send a clear and unequivocal message to smugglers and all individuals engaged in the illegal importation of prohibited substances: desist from these criminal activities immediately,” Ivara warned.
He said the command would strengthen surveillance, intelligence gathering, cargo inspections and enforcement in collaboration with relevant security and regulatory agencies.
Ivara also urged importers, licensed customs agents, freight forwarders and other stakeholders to comply with existing laws, regulations and import procedures.
“Legitimate trade must not be used as a cover for criminal activities,” he added.