Customs in Rivers port seized 844 rifles and 112,500 ammunition rounds in an illegal importation case originating from Turkey.

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has officially confirmed the seizure of 844 units of rifles and 112,500 pieces of live ammunition that were illegally imported into the country. Adewale Adeniyi, the Comptroller-General (CG) of customs, addressed the press on Monday at a conference held in the Port Harcourt command, Onne, Rivers state.

During the briefing, the CG verified the authenticity of a video circulating the previous week depicting the seizure. He detailed that the 1X40 foot container, with the number MAEU165396 originating from Turkey, had aroused suspicion due to various risk factors and had become a focal point of their attention.

Adeniyi explained, "We monitored its journey across continents, benefiting greatly from credible information provided through our collaboration with intelligence communities at local, national, and international levels. Utilizing our local structures, we diligently tracked the importer's attempts to bypass our procedures via a private bond terminal."

He continued, "Consequently, on Friday, June 21, 2024, the suspicious container underwent a thorough physical examination. The inspection revealed an alarming array of contents concealed within various items such as doors, furniture, plumbing fittings, and leather bags." The items seized included 844 units of rifles, 112,500 pieces of live ammunition, 764 units of Tomahawk Jojef Magnum black pump-action rifles, 10 units of Verney Caron gunmakers Jojef Magnum silver pump-action rifles, 50 units of Verney Caron gunmaker double barrel rifles, 20 units of Verney Caron gunmaker single barrel rifles exclusive series, sterling high-quality live ammunition, and 34g-25 plastic shotgun shells (70mm).

Adeniyi also disclosed that the duty-paid value of the container amounted to N4,171,710,000. He mentioned the arrest and detention of three suspects in connection with the illegal importation, following the issuance of a detention warrant by a competent court.

Furthermore, Adeniyi informed that, through collaboration and intelligence efforts, operatives intercepted another 8×40-foot container en route to a bonded warehouse from Onne port on June 29. This container was found to contain 1,050,000 bottles of cough syrup with codeine (100 ml) and 3,500,000 tablets of trodol benzhexol tablets (5 ml), valued at N9,600,000,000.

In addition to these interceptions, customs officers also seized two containers carrying 720 bales of used clothes valued at N144,000,000.