The Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), Tincan Island Port Command, has revealed items found in a 40ft container suspected of being loaded with weapons.
TinCan Customs’ public relations officer, Mr. Uche Ejesieme, made the disclosure in a statement in Lagos on Tuesday.
Ejesieme said the content was revealed after a physical examination with the Department of State Services (DSS), the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, the Nigerian Standards Organization, the police and others.
Ejesieme said that the command’s swift action also led to the arrest of a suspect who was detained at customs.
He added that a thorough investigation would lead to the command of the masterminds of this illicit importation for the due sanction.
“The media and the public will remember that on December 17, exactly at 4:30 p.m., our operatives stumbled upon a container suspected of carrying unusual merchandise with the specific suspicion that it was pistols and some cartridges of ammunition.
“Previously, we had said that the nature of the suspicious items and the quantity were unknown, as the container was immediately re-welded on the instructions of the customs area controller, Comptroller Abdullahi Musa.
“The container was transferred to the Customs Control unit pending a joint examination,” he said.
He noted that a joint physical examination was conducted on December 20 that included DSS, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, Nigerian Standards Organization, police, others.
“The physical examination revealed: four used Toyota vehicles, namely: 2005 Lexus Rx 330, 2009 Toyota Sienna and two 2009 Toyota Camry units, as well as 53 undeclared units of new 55 ″ LG televisions and other products.
“However, a Smith and Wesson model SW40V 40SW CALIBER pistol unit, two packs of 50 pieces each of 9mm live ammunition with a total of 100 pieces, were found hidden inside one of the bags containing used clothing. .
“Others hidden in the bag containing used clothing are an empty (spent) 9mm round of ammunition and eight packs of 25 pieces each of 70mm (200 pieces total) and two empty pistol magazines,” he said.
Ejesieme pointed out that the importation of pistols and live ammunition was in Annex 4 part 1 (absolute prohibitions).
He said that this was a clear violation of Sections 46, 47 and 161 of the Excise and Customs Management Act, Chapter C45, Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 2004, as amended.

Wahala for the car owners, who might not know about the weapons