•Nigerian Customs operatives
The Seme Border Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) today dealt a major blow to smuggling and cross-border criminal activities with the interception of explosive materials, expired noodles, Savita Cannabis and other prohibited items.
Disclosing this to stakeholders at the border town, Comptroller of the command Controller Abdullahi Kaila said that intelligence and sustained surveillance, officers subjected the consignment to thorough examination and uncovered 1,306 sacks of expired and waste noodles, each weighing 50 kilograms.
Kaila also described the discovery as worrisome, noting that the expired noodles could have posed serious health risks to unsuspecting Nigerians who might have purchased and consumed them, reports Vanguard.
He said:”Acting on intelligence and sustained surveillance, our officers subjected the consignment to thorough examination and uncovered 1,306 sacks of expired and waste noodles, each weighing 50 kilograms.
“What was discovered was deeply disturbing because many of the products had already deteriorated and were visibly decomposing. Intelligence further revealed that the intention was to repackage, relabel and introduce these products into Nigerian markets for unsuspecting consumers.
“Had this shipment succeeded, countless families would have been exposed to serious health hazards ranging from food poisoning and gastrointestinal diseases to other life-threatening medical complications.
“By intercepting these products, the Nigeria Customs Service has once again demonstrated that border security is also a form of public health protection. Every child, every family and every Nigerian has been protected from what could have become a silent public health disaster.
“Furthermore, in separate enforcement operations conducted across different flashpoints within our area of responsibility, the Command also intercepted 1,268 bags of foreign parboiled rice, each weighing 50 kilograms, smuggled through illegal routes.
“Beyond denying government legitimate revenue, such illicit importation undermines the Federal Government’s agricultural policies, discourages local rice production and threatens the livelihoods of Nigerian farmers.
“The fight against illicit drugs remains one of the Service’s critical contributions to national security and public safety. Pursuant to this, the Command intercepted the following shipments:
373 parcels of Cannabis Sativa, 90 packs of Tramaking 250mg, 69 packs of Royal Tapentadol 250mg and 310,000 sticks of Time/Yes cigarettes.
“These are not ordinary commodities, they are dangerous products capable of destroying lives, fueling criminality, encouraging substance abuse and undermining the future of our young people.
“The illicit drugs intercepted are often linked to cultism, armed robbery, violent crimes and other social vices, while smuggled cigarettes evade health regulations, avoid payment of statutory duties and expose consumers to products outside approved quality standards.
“Through these interceptions, the Seme Area Command has disrupted criminal supply chains and prevented these dangerous products from reaching our communities.
“Our officers intercepted 3,300 cartridges of explosive materials being illegally conveyed through the border corridor.
“Explosives of this nature have devastating consequences when they fall into the hands of criminal elements. They have the potential to facilitate terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other violent crimes capable of threatening national peace and security.
“The successful interception of these explosives demonstrates the vigilance, professionalism and intelligence-driven operations of our officers, working in close collaboration with sister security agencies.
“Considering the sensitive nature of the seizure, the explosive materials have already been handed over to the Nigeria Police Force Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit for safe custody and further investigation.
“I must emphasise that our renewed resolve to fight smuggling and cross-border crimes using intelligence is paying off and continues to disrupt the activities of those bent on sabotaging our economy.
“As part of its anti-smuggling efforts, the Command intercepted one used speedboat, one used Water Bike, one used Toyota Land Cruiser (2017 Model), one used Toyota RAV4 (2016 Model) and one used Nissan Versa (2010 Model) with Duty Paid Value ₦365,1Million.
“While enforcement remains highly visible, it represents only one dimension of our statutory responsibilities. The second is facilitating legitimate trade while generating revenue for national development.
“In 2025, the Seme Area Command’s achievement reflected improved compliance, enhanced stakeholder engagement, and strengthened operational efficiency as our revenue performance in 2026 has been even more remarkable, between January and July 2026.
“The Command generated ₦19,8Billion. as against ₦15,9Billion generated in 2025. This means that within only seven months, the Command has surpassed its entire twelve-month revenue collection for 2025 by ₦3,899,022,112.49, representing a 24.45 per cent increase.”
