The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Apapa Area Command, has tightened security checks at Apapa Port after intercepting 25.5 kilograms of cocaine concealed aboard a Brazilian vessel, MV San Anthonio, during an intelligence driven operation.
According to a statement issued on Saturday by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Chief Superintendent of Customs Isah Sulaiman, acting on behalf of the Customs Area Controller (CAC), Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba, officers uncovered 24 parcels of cocaine packed in five bags during a detailed examination of the vessel, leading to its immediate detention.
Comptroller Oshoba described the operation as evidence of strengthened collaboration between the NCS and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). He explained that the vessel’s travel history through Brazil, Honduras, Guatemala, and other known drug trafficking routes prompted intensified scrutiny from customs intelligence teams.
Reaffirming the Service’s adherence to the zero compromise directive of the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, the CAC said only legitimate cargo will be cleared through Apapa Port.
“This seizure and detention of the ship should send a strong warning to perpetrators of unlawful trade within our port system. Customs is strengthening its synergy with all sister agencies, and no criminal or group of lawless persons can beat us here,” Oshoba said.
He added that with the Yuletide season approaching, the Command will prioritise national security and economic protection, stressing that all outgoing consignments must undergo proper examination to verify their declared contents.
During a brief handover at the port, NDLEA Apapa Strategic Command Commander Haliru Umar received the seized cocaine from the NCS for further investigation and necessary action.
Source: X | CustomsNG
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