Eastern Marine Command Seizes N172.4m Contraband, Vows Crackdown on Smuggling
Eastern Marine Command Seizes N172.4m Contraband, Vows Crackdown on Smuggling
Eastern Marine Command Seizes N172.4m Contraband, Vows Crackdown on Smuggling
The (NCS), Eastern Marine Command, has intensified enforcement operations following the seizure of contraband items with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N172,497,203 over the past three months.
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The Customs Area Controller of the Eastern Marine Command, Comptroller Anderson Jaja, disclosed this during a press briefing on 10 February 2026 in .
Comptroller Jaja reaffirmed the Command’s resolve to safeguard Nigeria’s eastern maritime corridor and combat smuggling within its operational area. He attributed the significant seizures to proactive, intelligence-driven operations carried out across the maritime domain.
“Our operations have been intensified across the Eastern maritime corridor. The seizures displayed today underscore our unwavering resolve to suppress smuggling while ensuring that legitimate trade is not hindered,” he stated.
A breakdown of the intercepted items includes 62 bales of second-hand clothing valued at N16,782,470 and 190 pieces of used tyres worth N15,429,045. Other items seized comprise assorted soaps, detergents, creams, wines, juices, beverages, and bicycles with a combined value of N68,977,618.
Additional confiscations include bags of used shoes, scrap metals, wire mesh, chemicals, and other goods valued at N14,016,717. Batteries, drums, water tanks, chemicals, and scrap metals worth N45,893,390 were also intercepted. Further seizures recorded were 14 sacks of used shoes valued at N132,636, two flying boats worth N8,502,390, and one 20-foot container with a DPV of N1,894,693.
The Area Controller issued a stern warning to smugglers to desist from illegal activities, emphasizing that acts of economic sabotage within the maritime sector would not be tolerated. While maintaining robust enforcement, he stressed that the Service remains committed to stakeholder engagement and the facilitation of legitimate trade.
He urged compliant traders to leverage trade facilitation initiatives introduced by the Comptroller-General of Customs, , including the Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) programme and the One-Stop-Shop (OSS) platform, both aimed at enhancing compliance and expediting cargo clearance.
Comptroller Jaja also expressed appreciation to the Comptroller-General for his strategic leadership and recent operational support, notably the provision of additional patrol boats, which have strengthened the Command’s enforcement capacity. He commended officers and personnel of the Eastern Marine Command for their professionalism and dedication, assuring stakeholders of continued vigilance in protecting Nigeria’s economic interests and maritime security.
Eastern Marine Command Seizes N172.4m Contraband, Vows Crackdown on Smuggling
