Battle Against Hard Drugs: Comptroller Onyeka Led TinCan Customs Hands Over Intercepted Illicit Drugs Worth More than N8billion to NDLEA
Comptroller Frank Okechukwu Onyeka, CAC, TinCan Island Area Command, NCS
As the battle against recalcitrant peddlers of hard drugs rages, the Nigeria Customs Service, Tincan Island Port Area Command has continued to remain vigilant in its efforts to thwart all antics of importers to bring in offensive items that are inimical to the nation’s coexistence, while carrying out their mandated duties.
The emergence of Comptroller Frank Okechukwu Onyeka, a no-nonsense Officer of the service to head the command as Customs Area Controller (CAC) has even made matters worse for these unscrupulous elements who will stop at nothing ‘antics-wise’ to continue perpetrating their Illicit Smuggling activities for personal gains.
Comptroller Frank Onyeka has however started on a good note in this regard to walk his talks in terms of generating maximum revenue for the command and service, commitment to trade facilitation and at same time remained vigilant against activities that threatens National Security and public health by nipping in the bud any offensive items that may come through TinCan Island Command under his watch.
To this, the Comptroller on Monday 10 March, 2025, handed over illicit drug worth well over Eight Billion Naira Only (N8 Billion) to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency at TinCan Port.
In a brief handing over ceremony held in the Enforcement Unit of the Tincan Island Port Command, as contained in the press statement signed by SC OE Ivara pjsc, the command’s Public Relations Officer, the Customs Area Controller, Frank Onyeka who handed over the items to the Commander NDLEA, Tincan Island Strategic Command Mitchell Ofoyeju noted that the drugs were intercepted due to high level of intelligence gathered by officers in the Command, in collaboration with the men of the NDLEA.
Furthermore, the CAC disclosed that the 2X20FT containers which were intercepted in different batches, were falsely declared to contain used Cars and used Auto Spare parts originating from Canada.
Giving the breakdown of the intercepted consignments, Comptroller Onyeka said, one of the impounded 1X20 FT Container No. TCNU 194586/1, which was intercepted on the 27 of February, 2025 was found to contain 128 packets of Cannabis Indica, which weighed a total of 63.75 kilograms with an estimated street value of Four Hundred and Fourteen Million, Three Hundred and Seventy Five Thousand Naira Only (414,375,000.00)
Similarly, the second container with registration no. MSMU 838666/3 was intercepted on December 12, 2024. It was found to contain 97 packets of Crystals Methamphetamine, and weighing a total of 78.3 kilograms with an estimated street value of Two Billion Naira only (2,000,000,000.00), as well as 1,735 packets of Cannabis Indica with a total weight of 867.5 kilograms and an estimated street value of Five Billion, Six Hundred and Thirty Eight Million, Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira (5,638,750,000.00).
The statement said the total street value of the all the seized illegal hard drugs is put at Eight Billion, Fifty Three Million, One Hundred and Twenty Five Thousand Naira only (8,053,125,000.00)
Meanwhile, Comptroller Onyeka during the hand over exercise stated that the seizures underscore the Command’s dedication to safeguarding the Nation from the menace of illicit drugs, as he further reiterated the Command’s commitment to facilitating trade, while remaining vigilant against activities that threatens National Security and public health.
He also pointed out that the Command will continue to enhance its operational strategies, including intelligence gathering and inter-agency collaboration, to effectively combat smuggling and other illicit activities.
While he used the medium to urge all stakeholders to support the efforts of the Command in maintaining the integrity of Nigeria’s borders and ports, the CAC further call on his officers of the command to remained vigilant against the antics of fraudulent stakeholders who may want to use the TinCan ports to perpetrate their Illicit trade act.
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