A sample of some of the drugs.
Story by Dili Utomi
In demonstration of the avowed collaborative synergy between the sister agencies working within the Maritime sector, the Tin Can Island Port Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has seized and then transfered a huge amount of illicit drugs.
This was the situation, Friday evening as the Customs Area Controller of the Command, Comptroller Frank Okechukwu Onyeka held a press briefing where the seized items were showcased.
Bags of the seized Cannabis indica.
The CAC while presenting his speech announced that “The first 1x40ft container with number HLXU8500072 was intercepted on 4th September 2025, through meticulous intelligence gathering and coordinated efforts of the officers and men of our Command. The container with a Bill of Lading Number HLCUTOR2506000834 was discovered to originate from Montreal, Canada.
Comptroller Onyeka addressing journalists at the hand over event.
His words “Upon 100% physical examination which was jointly conducted by officers of our Command and other relevant government agencies, the container which was found to contain four vehicles, which had concealed quantities of illicit drugs as detailed below:
156 packets of Colorado Indica (a strain of Cannabis) weighing 78 kilograms, and
1.2 kilograms of Hashish Oil.
The substances were immediately extracted, weighed, and constructively warehoused in the Enforcement Unit of this Command pending further action”.
The second container with registration number (FANU 312876/9) which was intercepted through the intelligence provided by the Customs Area Controller on the 24 October 2025 was also carrying Four Vehicles with a total of Two Thousand and Eighty One packages of Cannabis Indica, weighing 1,093kg, and Eight (8) packages of Crystal methamphatamine weighing 8kg, concealed in the vehicles.
The total street value of the illicit drugs recovered from both seizures is five billion, three hundred and four million naira (₦5,304.000,000).
Comptroller Onyeka also used the opportunity to answer several questions concerning the performance of his Command this year. He said that the Command has so far generated over one trillion, one hundred billion naira (₦1,100,000,000,000.00) from January to September thereby meeting about 78% of the one trillion, five hundred billion naira (₦1,500,000,000,000.00) revenue target given to the Command.
In line with inter-agency collaboration and standard operating procedures, the drugs and some detained persons were officially handed over to the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency NDLEA for further investigation, prosecution, and necessary legal actions. The seized drugs were promptly received by the NDLEA.
CO Onyishi left receiving the jar of hashish oil from Compt. Onyeka right during the ceremony.
Comptroller Onyeka also used the opportunity to warn those involving themselves in illicit trade that “the Tin Can Island Command, under my watch, remains resolute, vigilant, and uncompromising in enforcing the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and international conventions to which Nigeria is a signatory”.
He also noted that the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi is “carrying every officer along in terms of officer welfare, provision of facilities and general support to all Commands and Units and that these actions are morale boosters to officers. He added that he will make sure that all arrested persons in connection with the seizures are well prosecuted.
Controller of Narcotics and the Tin Can Island Port Special Commander of the NDLEA, David O. Onyishi who received the seized drugs on behalf of his Agency said “my pleasure to receive these illicit drugs are in the synergy that we all achieve at the Port and this is a sign that merchants of death have no future here. We have all vowed to be a step ahead of them all”.
His words “We are adequately prepared and are working in unison and this Port is a no-go area for all drugs importers. We are assuring Nigerians that we are continually applying our learnt craft to make sure that the public is safe”. He concluded.
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