Lagos: On Tuesday, the Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Operations Unit Zone A, announced it had intercepted 6.35kg of cocaine valued at N2.35 billion. The interception took place earlier along the Lagos-Abidjan corridor and was revealed during the official handover event.
Comptroller Gambo Aliyu made this known on Tuesday at the official handover event in Lagos, where the seized drugs and other illicit substances were transferred to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
He said the command foiled 473 smuggling attempts in eight weeks, seizing contraband such as explosives, petrol, and Ghana Loud, among others, with a total value exceeding N5.5 billion.
Customs officers recovered the cocaine during a separate operation along the Lagos-Abidjan corridor before Tuesday’s handover. Comptroller Gambo Aliyu shared these details at the Lagos event during the official transfer of the seized drugs and illegal substances to the NDLEA.
He explained the cocaine recovery was part of a distinct operation along the Lagos-Abidjan corridor.
He said arrests and seizures were recorded in Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, and Ondo states during the same timeframe leading up to the Tuesday handover event.
Aliyu also described the interception of four cylinders of mercury, each weighing 80kg, as significant, noting the substance is hazardous under the Minamata Convention on Mercury.
To track smuggling routes, digital surveillance measures were deployed. These included geospatial intelligence, satellite imagery, drones, and predictive analytics.
Earlier, the unit launched Operation Hawk to disrupt narcotics trafficking networks ahead of the most recent seizures and handover.
Through this initiative, officers seized 3,340 parcels of synthetic cannabis. The total weight reached 1,540kg.
He said N97.7 million was recovered from underpaid duties between February 3 and April 28 2026, through enforcement actions.
He added that the total duty-paid value of seizures stood at N5.5 billion. This, he emphasised, reflects operational effectiveness against economic saboteurs.
Aliyu reiterated that the unit was deploying digital surveillance tools, including geospatial intelligence, satellite imagery, drones, and predictive analytics, to track smuggling routes.
He handed over three suspects and seized drugs for the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, facilitating further investigation and prosecution.
During the handover event on Tuesday, NDLEA Commander Ibrahim Kabiru commended customs operatives for their synergy and professionalism.
“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,” he said.
Kabiru said these seizures sent a strong signal. Lagos and its environs, he noted, would not be safe havens for illicit drug activities.
He commended Comptroller Aliyu and his team for strong collaboration in the fight against illicit substances and drug abuse.
