Customs nab 71-year-old with N2.35bn cocaine haul

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The Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Operations Unit Zone A, Ikeja, has said that it arrested a 71-year-old man with 6.35kg of cocaine with an estimated street value of N2.35bn concealed in a Toyota Highlander.

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The unit also said it intercepted other contraband worth over N5.5bn and foiled 473 smuggling attempts within the last eight weeks. The Customs Area Controller in charge of the unit, Gambo Aliyu, disclosed this on Tuesday in Ikeja while showcasing some of the seized contraband to journalists.

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He highlighted that the cocaine was intercepted during a separate operation along the Lagos-Abidjan corridor. Aliyu also added that intensified anti-smuggling operations led to the seizure of 8,794 bags of foreign rice, “equivalent to 15 trailer loads, 22 used vehicles, 1,863 used refrigerator compressors, and 328 bales of used clothing.”

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“Other items seized include 31,705 litres of premium motor spirit, 1,188 jerrycans of vegetable oil, 531 cartons of poultry products, 485 used tyres, and 69 cartons of spaghetti. The officers also arrested a 71-year-old man driving a Toyota Highlander conveying 6.35kg of cocaine with an estimated street value of N2.35bn,” Aliyu said.

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The CAC said the seizures were made across Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, and Ondo States, with several suspects arrested in connection with the offences.

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Aliyu, while stating that the unit also intercepted four cylinders of mercury weighing 80kg each, described the substance as hazardous and regulated under the Minamata Convention on Mercury.

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He stated that the unit launched a special anti-drug operation, codenamed ‘Operation Hawk’, to disrupt narcotics trafficking networks. He said under the operation, officers of the unit seized 3,340 parcels of synthetic cannabis weighing 1,540kg.

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The comptroller highlighted that the unit also recovered N97.7m from underpaid duties between February 3 and April 28, 2026, through demand notices and compliance enforcement.

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He noted that the total duty-paid value of seized items stood at N5.5bn, describing it as a reflection of the scale and effectiveness of operations targeted at economic saboteurs.

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Aliyu said the unit is advancing digital surveillance, including geospatial intelligence, satellite imagery, drone monitoring, and predictive analytics, to track smuggling routes and improve enforcement efficiency.

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The comptroller handed over the seized drugs to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency for further investigation and prosecution. He added that the mercury consignment will be transferred to the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency.

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