Customs Intercept Cartridges, Expired Noodles And Narcotics At Seme Border

The Seme Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has intercepted 3,300 cartridges, narcotics, expired noodles and other prohibited items in a border crackdown valued at about N365.1 million.

The command said the seizures were made over the last two months and included 373 parcels of Cannabis Sativa, 90 packs of Tramaking 250mg, 69 packs of Royal Tapentadol 250mg and 310,000 sticks of cigarettes. Officers also seized vehicles, watercraft, foreign rice and a truck carrying 1,306 sacks of expired and waste noodles.

Customs Area Controller Abdullahi Kaila said the cartridges were handed to the Nigeria Police Force Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit for safe custody and investigation. The command also handed over one suspect linked to the seizure.

The noodles, each sack weighing 50kg, were allegedly hidden under a false food-item declaration. Vanguard reported that some of the products were already deteriorating, with intelligence suggesting they could have been repackaged for sale in Nigeria.

The Seme command said it would keep relying on surveillance and intelligence to stop arms, drugs and other banned goods from moving through the land border.

Sources: Daily Trust, Vanguard