Business: Customs Intercept Suspected Cocaine Worth ₦1bn Along Badagry-Seme Border
The Service said the seizure was made in the early hours of Tuesday, February 10, 2026, by officers of the Seme Area Command.Operatives of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) have intercepted 22 packages of suspected cocaine valued at ₦1 billion along the Badagry–Seme border corridor.
Disclosing this in a statement via X on Saturday, the Service said the seizure was made in the early hours of Tuesday, February 10, 2026, at about 3:00 a.m., by officers of the Seme Area Command.According to the statement, the suspected cocaine was discovered in a Toyota Highlander, where 22 packages were hidden in a specially constructed bunker beneath the vehicle’s axle, with one suspect arrested in connection with the seizure.
“Officers of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Seme Area Command have intercepted 22 packages of suspected cocaine worth ₦1 billion, concealed in a vehicle along the Badagry–Seme corridor, reinforcing ongoing inter-agency efforts against cross-border drug trafficking,” the statement read in part.The interception followed a midnight operation in which officers uncovered the illicit substance concealed in a modified vehicle allegedly attempting to cross the border, highlighting renewed enforcement along key smuggling routes.
READ ALSO: Elumelu Meets With Tinubu, Says Foreign Exchange Scarcity Era Over
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, who was represented at the handover ceremony by the Deputy Comptroller-General in charge of Enforcement, Investigation and Inspection, Timi Bomodi, said the operation demonstrates the Service’s commitment to safeguarding Nigeria’s borders.He noted that the agency remains firm in enforcing prohibitions aimed at protecting public health and national security.
Customs referenced Section 55(1)(C) of the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023, stating that the provision empowers the Service to enforce prohibitions related to public health and national security. The agency added that drug trafficking has strong links to insecurity and organised crime, making inter-agency collaboration essential.
The seized substance and the suspect were formally handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for further investigation and forensic analysis.On their part, NDLEA officials commended the collaboration between both agencies, describing it as critical in combating cross-border drug trafficking.
The handover highlights the coordinated approach between Customs and anti-narcotics authorities in tackling illicit drug flows across Nigeria’s borders.
