The Nigeria Customs Service strike force zone A, has impounded a truck loaded with 74,000 bottles of codeine cough syrup concealed in 374 cartons.
Other seizures also revealed the interception of foreign rice, vegetable oil and second hand clothings.
The strike force coordinator, Abubakar Kakudi told TVC News that while the cough syrup with codeine was intercepted within the Lagos metropolis, the other items were recovered along the land border areas of Ogun state.
The truck which could easily have passed for another means of cargo conveyance was impounded after intelligence report tipped off customs operatives about the real content of the goods inside the truck.
The truck was said to be carrying printing papers and key pad locks, but on further inspection was found to be concealing hundreds of cartons of cough codeine syrup.
Hundreds of bags of foreign parboiled rice are still making inroad into the country despite the closure of land borders. The constant seizures by the Customs strike force has not deterred smugglers who continue to devise new means of concealing foreign rice smuggled into the country.
While showcasing the latest seizures, two buses loaded with pineapples were brought in, shortly after, it was found to be concealing bags of foreign rice.
There is no gainsaying that customs anti smuggling strategies must be constantly upgraded if it hopes to be steps ahead of smugglers who have remained relentless
