The Nigeria Customs Service, NCS has intercepted a total of thirty-one (31) rifles and ammunition concealed in plastic drums and sacks of charcoal illegally shipped into the country from the United States of America.
“On July 5, a joint operation with the Nigeria Police, the Department of State Security, the National Drug Law Enforcement and Administration, and the Customs Intelligence Unit at the Ports Terminal and Multi Services Limited Command was conducted. A thorough physical examination of a 40ft container was conducted. The examination revealed the concealment of 10 dangerous arms and various rounds of live ammunition inside plastic drums.
“A breakdown of the concealed items includes Three (3) new Pump Action Rifles and one new unit of an armed Rifle, Six (6) new different types of pistols including one new millennium G2 pistol; one (1) new sarsilmaz SAR-9X pistol; one (1) new Lugger Security-9 pistol; one (1) new Taurus Banbridge G3C pistol; one new SCCY CPX-2 pistol, and one (1) new Taurus (63 pistol). Others include fourteen (14) empty magazines and 442 rounds of live ammunition,” Adeniyi said.
The Customs Boss noted that 2 suspects have been arrested in connection with the seizure.
He said, “The clearing agent, Mr Shokunbi Olanrewaju of Shooler Global International Limited and Mr Joseph Nwadiodor, who was expected to take delivery of the Container, are currently detained as suspects in connection with the seizure.
Similarly, the Tincan Island Port Command of the Service, within the same period, while acting on credible intelligence; subjected a 1x40ft container to 100% physical examination with the relevant security Agencies at the ports.
According to the Ag. CGC, the physical examination uncovered 18 arms, cartridges packets, and live ammunition rounds inside plastic drums.
Adeniyi listed the details as: six different makes of pistols, two Sar9 Sarsilmarz Pistols, one Ruger American Pistol and three Taurus G3c – Bainbridge Pistols.
“Others are 12 different makes of riffles, five Rz17hd Rifles, one Gamo Rifle, five Pump Action Rifles and one (1) Rz17 Tactical Rifle.
“Also included are 10 packets of cartridges, two packets of 9mm ammunition, 100 rounds of 9mm Winchester ammunition, one carton of Frontier cartridges, two packets of Buckshot ammunition,” he said.
Adeniyi said that during a routine patrol along Owode/Ajilete Axis of Ogun State, officers of the Joint Border Patrol Team Sector 2, on July 12, intercepted an unregistered Toyota Camry loaded with six sacks of charcoal, used to conceal three pump action riffles with 174 live cartridges.
He added that the driver of the vehicle who knew the content he was conveying vis-a-vis the attendant consequences of his action before the law; jumped into the bush and escaped arrest.
“Investigation into the seizures is inconclusive. The outcome of our investigations together with the seizures will be handed over to the appropriate authorities for further investigation and prosecution”. He added.
He reiterated the services’ resolve to tackle the economic and security menace caused by recalcitrant traders.
“Let me state at this point that the Service has re-strategized its operations, while our Officers have raised their levels of professionalism, we have re-injected new tactics to tackle the economic and security menace caused by recalcitrant importers and their agents. The Services’ human resources and logistics are collectively harnessed to combat and prevent economic sabotage”, he said.
