Ogun Customs Seizes ₦905M Rolls-Royce, Cannabis, Rice and Other Contraband Worth ₦1.4 Billion in Anti-Smuggling Crackdown

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Ogun 1 Area Command, has made a significant breakthrough in its anti-smuggling efforts, seizing luxury vehicles and contraband items valued at over ₦1.4 billion during recent operations.

Among the most notable seizures was a 2021 Rolls-Royce Ghost, valued at a staggering ₦905 million, making it one of the highest-value single items ever confiscated by the command. Other luxury vehicles impounded include a 2014 Mercedes-Benz 4Matic worth ₦21 million and a 2018 Honda Accord estimated at ₦32 million.

Speaking during a press briefing on Thursday, August 21, 2025, at the Idiroko Command headquarters in Ogun State, Comptroller Godwin Otunla revealed additional seizures such as 4,424 bags of foreign parboiled rice (equivalent to more than seven truckloads), 1,936 parcels of cannabis sativa, 105 used tyres, and several other banned items.

Otunla noted that the total value of the seized goods reached ₦1,401,531,923.95, a clear indication of the scale of smuggling activities along the border axis. He also reported a revenue generation of ₦45,054,191.00 in July 2025—marking a 27.47% increase compared to ₦35,327,852.00 collected in July 2024.

“This performance reflects our intensified enforcement measures, stronger border surveillance, and improved stakeholder collaboration,” Otunla stated, while warning smugglers that the Service would remain steadfast in dismantling smuggling networks.

In a related development, the Western Marine Command in Apapa, Lagos, intercepted over three truckloads of rice and other items worth ₦212 million. Comptroller Patrick Ntadi attributed the success to enhanced inter-agency coordination, use of additional patrol vessels, and intelligence-led operations.

Furthermore, the seized cannabis was handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), which commended the close partnership between both agencies in tackling drug smuggling.

Additionally, customs operatives have recently intercepted smuggled fuel valued at around ₦238 million, underscoring the ongoing threat of economic sabotage driven by cross-border price exploitation.

The Customs Service reaffirmed its dedication to protecting the nation’s economy, ensuring trade compliance, and bringing economic criminals to justice.