The Ogun I Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intercepted 6,035 parcels of suspected Ghana Loud, 2,339 bags of foreign parboiled rice and other prohibited items with a combined duty-paid value of N3.57 billion at the Idi-Iroko border.

The Acting Customs Area Controller, Oladapo Afenifere, disclosed this yesterday during a press briefing at the headquarters in Idi-Iroko Ogun State.

He said the seizures were made between June 24 and August 12, 2026, as part of sustained anti-smuggling operations along the Nigeria-Benin border corridors.

Afenifere said smugglers had become increasingly sophisticated in concealing hard drugs and other prohibited goods, but intelligence gathering and the vigilance of frontline officers had enabled the interception of several consignments.

He also alleged that some neighbouring countries were increasingly cultivating illicit drugs for export, targeting Nigeria’s large market while having limited consumption of the substances themselves.

Items seized and displayed included 30 bags of 50kg foreign sugar, 11,450 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) stored in kegs and 1,750 litres of PMS in drums.

Others were 2,674 pieces of new shorts and trousers, 3,760 pieces of new tops, 85 fire extinguishers, 480 cartons of Pure Haven drinks, 53 packages of oats, 30 kegs of diesel, 100 bags of fertiliser, 67 bales of second-hand clothing, 47 cartons of cosmetics, 36 packages of hair accessories, three packages of surgical shoes and 127 new purses.

He said the continued smuggling of foreign rice and other prohibited commodities undermined the Federal Government’s efforts to achieve food self-sufficiency, create jobs and stimulate domestic production.

Afenifere also warned that smuggled foreign rice was sometimes re-bagged under unhygienic conditions and stored in warehouses for prolonged periods, which could affect its quality and pose health risks to consumers.

On the drug seizures, Afenifere disclosed that from January 2026 to date, the command had handed over 32,412 parcels of hard drugs and 92 sacks of raw Cannabis sativa to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Idi-Iroko Special Command.

He said Ghana Loud and other potent variants of cannabis posed serious threats to public health and security, adding that proceeds from the illicit trade could finance other criminal activities, including human trafficking and the illegal proliferation of arms across borders.

Beyond enforcement, Afenifere said the command generated N90.06 million in July 2026 from baggage assessments, auctions of perishable items, PMS and other charges.