The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Port and Terminal Multiservices Limited (PTML) Command, announced on Tuesday the interception of a massive cocaine shipment valued at N29.4 billion.
Comptroller Joe Anani, Area Controller of the PTML Command, told reporters that the illegal drugs were discovered in an empty 20-foot container imported from Freetown, Sierra Leone, during a routine disinfection inspection on October 7, 2025.
According to Anani, the discovery followed a tip-off from the PTML terminal operator, who noticed suspicious packages in one of 39 empty containers scheduled for export.
“The terminal operator immediately alerted the Command, and a joint inspection was carried out with officers from the NDLEA, DSS, Police Anti-Bomb Squad, and other security agencies,” he explained.
The inspection revealed 50 packages, each containing 20 parcels of cocaine, totaling 1,000 kilograms (1 tonne). Rapid tests confirmed the drugs, with a duty paid value (DPV) of N29,403,738,000.
Anani emphasized that the container was not part of any import consignment; it was among empty containers brought in by the terminal operator for export purposes.
He described the seizure as one of the most mysterious cocaine interceptions in Nigeria Customs history, noting that no arrests had been made since the container had no registered consignee.
The Customs boss commended the PTML terminal operator for the prompt report and praised the collaboration between Nigeria’s security agencies during the operation.
“This seizure highlights the high level of vigilance and cooperation among Customs officers, terminal operators, and sister security agencies,” Anani said, reaffirming the Command’s commitment to safeguarding Nigeria’s ports and ensuring that PTML remains a no-go zone for illegal imports and exports.
