Nigeria Customs FOU Zone “C” Hits Smugglers, Seizes Tramadol, Codeine
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone “C”, Owerri, Imo State, has intercepted a massive consignment of illicit drugs worth over ₦1 billion, concealed within legitimate goods along the Okada/Ofosu Expressway in Benin City, Edo State
The Comptroller of the Unit, Bishir Abdullah Balogun, disclosed this during a press briefing on Friday, 10 April 2026, stating that the interception was carried out on 15th March, 2026, following credible intelligence and a coordinated enforcement operation.
According to the Unit Controller, “Officers intercepted a truck loaded with 1,025,000 tablets of Tramadol and 10,000 bottles of Barcadin Codeine Syrup (100ml each), which were carefully concealed among legitimate goods in an attempt to evade detection.
“When flagged down, the driver attempted to evade officers, but eventually parked, jumped out, and fled into a nearby bushland. A subsequent search revealed that the drugs were cleverly concealed among legitimate goods to evade detection. The seized drugs have a total Duty Paid Value (DPV) of ₦1,056,000,000.00,” Comptroller Balogun said.
He emphasised the Service’s resolve to combat the smuggling of prohibited substances, noting that drugs such as Tramadol and Codeine contribute significantly to addiction and criminal activities.
Comptr. Balogun further maintained that: “Smugglers and criminal networks are hereby warned to abandon their illegal activities, as the Nigeria Customs Service will continue deploying intelligence-led strategies to safeguard public health and national security,” the Unit Controller warned.
Comptroller Balogun in the meantime, stated that the seized drugs are currently in Customs custody, while investigations are ongoing to identify and apprehend all those connected to the illegal shipment.
