Tin Can port: Customs intercepts N18.9b cannabis-in-cars shipment from Canada
The Tin Can Island Port Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has intercepted 4,729 kilograms of Cannabis Indica valued at N18.9 billion, concealed inside two used vehicles imported from Canada,
The Tin Can Island Port Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has intercepted 4,729 kilograms of Cannabis Indica valued at N18.9 billion, concealed inside two used vehicles imported from Canada, marking a significant enforcement breakthrough at the port.
Controller of the Command, Comptroller Frank Onyeka, disclosed the development yesterday while displaying the seized consignment to journalists at Tin Can Island Port, Lagos.
He identified the container as No. HAMU429966/1, noting that it had been flagged based on credible intelligence.
According to Onyeka, although the shipment was declared as used vehicles, Customs officers uncovered 185 jumbo bags of Cannabis Indica concealed alongside a used 2010 Toyota Camry and a used 2023 Chevrolet Colorado.
Further examination revealed a total of 9,458 packages of the illicit substance weighing 4,729 kilograms, with an estimated street value of N18,916,000,000.
The Customs boss said the interception highlights both the vigilance of officers and the increasing effectiveness of joint enforcement architecture at the ports.
“This seizure underscores the vigilance, professionalism and dedication of our officers, as well as the growing strength of inter-agency collaboration in combating drug trafficking and organised crime,” Onyeka said.
He formally handed over the seized drugs to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for further investigation and prosecution, reinforcing Customs’ statutory role in border enforcement and trade facilitation.
Significantly, the interception comes just days after Customs and the NDLEA signed a strategic agreement on April 27, 2026, in Abuja to deepen intelligence sharing, coordinated operations and joint responses to narcotics smuggling.
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Onyeka commended the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, for strengthening operational capacity and institutional partnerships across security agencies, noting that such leadership is critical to sustaining enforcement gains at the ports.
He also acknowledged the support of the NDLEA, port operators, other security agencies and the media in safeguarding Nigeria’s maritime domain.
Issuing a stern warning to criminal networks, Onyeka declared: “There will be no safe haven for economic saboteurs. We reaffirm our dedication to protecting Nigeria’s economy, safeguarding public health, and ensuring national security.”
Receiving the consignment, Commander of Narcotics, NDLEA Tin Can Strategic Command, Omotoso Solomon, attributed the successful operation to coordinated intelligence gathering and inter-agency synergy.
He explained that the operation was intelligence-driven, involving the collection and careful analysis of information before Customs officers were engaged for a joint enforcement action.
The latest seizure reinforces Tin Can Island Port’s position as a critical frontline in Nigeria’s maritime security architecture, where intensified cargo profiling, intelligence fusion and institutional collaboration are increasingly shaping outcomes in the fight against illicit trade.
