The Nigeria Customs Service has intercepted cocaine valued at N2.35 billion and arrested a 71-year-old suspect along a major smuggling route in Lagos.
The seizure was disclosed on Tuesday by Comptroller Gambo Aliyu during the handover of the illicit drugs to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency in Lagos.
Aliyu said customs operatives intercepted a Toyota Highlander conveying 6.35 kilogrammes of cocaine along the Lagos-Abidjan corridor, also known as the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor, a major trade route linking Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire.
He said the suspect, a 71-year-old Nigerian, was arrested in connection with the seizure, while the recovered drugs had been handed over to the NDLEA for further investigation and possible prosecution.
Aliyu added that the unit was strengthening its anti-smuggling operations through the deployment of digital surveillance tools, including geospatial intelligence, satellite imagery, drones and predictive analytics to track and disrupt criminal networks.
Beyond the cocaine seizure, the customs boss disclosed that the agency also intercepted 3,340 parcels of synthetic cannabis weighing 1,540 kilogrammes under “Operation Hawk,” alongside other prohibited items, including explosives, petrol and “Ghana Loud,” with the total value of seizures exceeding N5.5 billion.
He further revealed that customs operatives recovered four cylinders of mercury weighing 80 kilogrammes each, a hazardous substance regulated under the Minamata Convention on Mercury, which would be handed over to relevant environmental authorities.
According to him, operations carried out across Lagos State, Ogun State, Oyo State and Ondo State led to the foiling of 473 smuggling attempts within eight weeks and the recovery of N97.7 million from underpaid duties.
Receiving the exhibits, NDLEA Commander Ibrahim Kabiru commended the customs operatives for their professionalism and inter-agency collaboration.
“I formally received two parcels of suspected cocaine weighing 2.30kg, four parcels of crack cocaine weighing 4.05kg, 3,340 cannabis parcels and three suspects,” Kabiru said.
