The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Port and Terminal Multiservices Limited (PTML) Command, has intercepted cocaine valued at ₦29.4 billion at Tincan Island.
The Controller of the Command, Comptroller Joe Anani, disclosed this on Tuesday in Lagos, saying that the interception followed a report from the PTML terminal operator, who discovered suspicious packages in one of the 39 empty containers meant for export loading.
The 1x20ft container brought in from Freetown, Sierra Leone, was flagged during a routine disinfection exercise on October 7, 2025.
Anani stressed that 50 packages containing 20 parcels each were uncovered during the inspection.
He said: “The terminal operator alerted the command immediately, and a joint examination was conducted alongside officers of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Department of State Services (DSS), Police Anti-Bomb Squad, and other agencies.
“Rapid tests confirmed the contents as cocaine, weighing a total of 1,000 kilogrammes (one tonne), with a duty paid value (DPV) of ₦29,403,738,000.
“It is important to note that this container did not arrive Nigeria as an import consignment. It was part of a batch of empty containers brought in by the terminal operator for export purposes.”
The Comptroller described the incident as one of the most mysterious cocaine interceptions in the service’s history, highlighting that no arrest had been made since the container had no consignee linked to it.
He commended the PTML terminal operator for promptly reporting the anomaly and commended the collaboration between security agencies in the operation.
He explained: “This seizure underscores the high level of cooperation and vigilance among our officers, terminal operators, and sister security agencies.”
He reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to protecting the integrity of Nigeria’s ports and ensuring that PTML remains a “no-go area” for prohibited imports and exports.
The seizure, jointly handled by Customs and NDLEA officials, further strengthens the synergy between port stakeholders in combating illicit trade and safeguarding Nigeria’s maritime borders.
