Customs seize cocaine from Nigerite container at Port

The Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), Tin-Can Island port command, Apapa, seized a suspected 20 feet container belonging to a Lagos-based company, Nigerite on Thursday. The container was laden with 200 piece of the substance

The company, Nigerite engages in the manufacturing, marketing and installation of new technology cement fibre roofing and ceiling sheets, compressed sandcrete roofing tiles and  dry wall  construction solutions.

However sample of the substance had been tested by the National Agency for Food, Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to be cocaine.

The company’s Procurement Manager, Amata Jonah, explained that he did not know how the substance sneaked into company’s container, since the Nigerite had not been dealing  on drugs.

Its Area Controller, Bashar Yusuf said that the container was laden with items suspected to be ‘injurious’ to the health of the country.

The items, he said, were concealed inside eight travelling bags inside the intercepted  container.

His officers, Bashar said, discovered the items during physical examination of the container based on intelligence report received by the command.

Bashar said that 200 suspected items inside the bags would be handed over to the officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for laboratory test.

He said his officers were able to detect the items due to their vigilance and dedication to work during the examination exercise.

The controller advised all importers and clearing agents operating at the nation’s sea ports and border stations to be transparent in their operation and their documentation to boost trade facilitation programme of the Federal Government.