The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Tincan Island Port Command, has revealed items found in a 40 feet container suspected to be laden with arms.
The Public Relations Officer of TinCan Customs, Mr Uche Ejesieme, made the disclosure in a statement in Lagos on Tuesday.
Ejesieme said the contents were revealed after a physical examination with the Department of State Services (DSS), the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, the Standards Organisation of Nigeria, the police and others.
Ejesieme said that swift action from the command also led to the apprehension of a suspect who was kept in detention at the customs facility.
He added that a thorough investigation would lead the command to the masterminds of this illicit import for proper sanction.
“The media and the public will recall that on Dec. 17, at exactly 16:30hrs, our operatives stumbled on a container suspected to be carrying uncustomed goods with specific suspicion of it being pistols and some rounds of ammunition.
“Earlier, we had stated that the nature of the suspected offending items and quantity was unknown since the container was immediately welded back on the instruction of the customs area controller, Comptroller Abdullahi Musa.
“The container was transferred to the Customs Enforcement unit pending joint examination,” he said.
He pointed out that on Dec. 20, a joint physical examination was conducted which comprised the DSS, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, Standards Organisation of Nigeria, police, others.
“The physical examination revealed: four used Toyota vehicles viz: 2005 Lexus Rx 330, 2009 Toyota Sienna and two units of 2009 Toyota Camry as well as undeclared 53 pcs of new 55″ LG Televisions and other goods.
“However, one unit of Smith and wesson pistol of model SW40V OF 40SW CALIBRE, two packs of 50pcs each of 9mm live ammunition totalling 100pcs, were found concealed inside one of bags containing used clothes.
“Others concealed in the bag containing used clothes are one empty (expended) shell of 9mm ammunition and eight packs of 25 pcs each of 70mm (totalling 200pcs) and two empty pistol magazines,” he said.
Ejesieme noted that the importation of pistol and live ammunition was on schedule 4 part 1(absolute prohibitions).
He said that it was a clear contravention of sections 46, 47 and 161 of the Customs & Excise Management Act Cap c45 laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 2004 as amended. (NAN)