Joyce Mmereole Okoli
In one of the biggest narcotics interceptions of the year, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has seized 25 kilograms of cocaine valued at over ₦1 billion along the Seme border corridor, dealing a significant blow to an emerging transnational drug trafficking network.
The breakthrough operation occurred on February 10, 2026, when Customs operatives flagged down a Toyota Highlander ferrying 22 tightly wrapped packages of the illicit substance. One suspect was arrested at the scene.
Announcing the development during the official handover of the exhibits to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency in Ikeja, Lagos, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, said the seizure was the result of “precise, intelligence-driven enforcement” led by the Seme Area Command under Comptroller Wale Adenuga.
Adeniyi praised the diligence and vigilance of the officers involved, stressing that the operation reaffirms the Service’s uncompromising posture against narcotics smuggling.
“This seizure sends a clear message: Nigeria’s borders will not serve as safe passage for criminal networks dealing in hard drugs. Our officers remain alert, coordinated, and committed to protecting the nation from the dangers of illicit substances,” he said.
The intercepted cocaine, alongside the vehicle and the apprehended suspect, has been transferred to the NDLEA Lagos Strategic Command for further investigation and prosecution.
The development further strengthens the growing synergy between the NCS and NDLEA, driven by enhanced intelligence sharing and joint operational strategies aimed at dismantling drug smuggling pipelines across Nigeria’s borders.