A luxury passenger bus carrying military camouflage uniforms, cannabis sativa, and other illegal goods that were reportedly smuggled into the nation was stopped by the Nigeria Customs Service's Ogun I Area Command at Idiroko. Around 1:30 a.m. on Sunday, the illegal goods were stopped while being transported to the country's east via the Sagamu–Ore–Benin Expressway.
Oladapo Afeni, the command's acting area controller, stated during a press conference on Monday in Idiroko that the luxury bus, which lacked a license plate, was apprehended through intelligence-driven surveillance after allegedly dodging multiple security checkpoints from Lagos State to Ogun State.
According to Afeni, the car, which belonged to a delivery company, was also filled with a number of uncustomized items and other illegal narcotics, including Colorado.
Preliminary investigations, he claimed, showed that the military uniforms were intended for unauthorized individuals and might have been utilized for illicit actions such as impersonation.
"A 100% physical examination of the vehicle revealed 32 mixed camouflage innerwear and tops, five two-piece camouflage uniforms, and 197 camouflage pants and shorts hidden in unmarked cartons," he stated.
Seven parcels of Colorado, 154 parcels of synthetic cannabis indica, sometimes known as Canadian Loud, and other products still awaiting system checks and investigation were among the other items seized.
Afeni claimed that thorough intelligence collection and surveillance were essential to the operation's success.
He clarified that, under the guise of normal company operations, commercial transport operators were being exploited to transport illegal commodities along federal roadways, according to intelligence reports.
"To track this particular threat using real-time intelligence, our network of informants and analysts worked tirelessly," he stated.
The head of customs calculated that the drugs and military equipment seized had a street value of more than N259 million.
He continued by saying that two suspects had been taken into custody in relation to the seizure and that a comprehensive investigation would be conducted to identify further members of the smuggling syndicate.
Afeni emphasized that the use of military clothes and illegal substances in one operation indicated a coordinated effort to jeopardize national security.
"Impersonation, where criminals pose as security personnel to commit atrocities or facilitate the movement of contraband, is frequently linked to unauthorized possession of military apparel," he stated.
Afeni turned over the suspects and the cannabis to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency's Idiroko Special Command for additional investigation and prosecution in accordance with interagency cooperation.
The NDLEA Commander of the Idiroko Special Command, Williams Ekundayo, was handed the exhibits by the agency's Deputy Commander, Ganiyu Adeyooye. He praised the customs officers for the interception and promised to carry out a comprehensive investigation.
Afeni reaffirmed the command's resolve to continue combating cross-border crimes and smuggling under its jurisdiction.
Additionally, he urged people to report suspicious movements and smuggling activities in order to assist security officials.
He declared, "The Nigeria Customs Service is unwavering in its commitment to preventing non-state actors from obtaining such materials."
He cautioned smugglers and criminal elements that Customs officers are still highly motivated and strategically positioned to fight all types of cross-border criminality.
The command recently gave the NDLEA at Idiroko 10,126 packages of cannabis indica, also known as Ghana Loud, weighing around 4,627 kg and worth N5 billion.
Afeni further stated that the command had confiscated 1,759 bags of foreign parboiled rice, 2,685 kegs of vegetable oil, and 14,550 liters of petroleum products, among other illegal items, with a total duty paid value of N6.777 billion, within five weeks of stepping up anti-smuggling operations.