By Damilare Adeleye

The Nigeria Customs Service has intercepted a container from Turkey containing 844 rifles and 112,500 pieces of live ammunition.

Officers of the Service also arrested three suspects who are currently in custody, as a thorough investigation is ongoing to ensure all those involved face the full wrath of the law.

The container, which was subjected to a physical examination on June 21, 2024, was found to have the following contents.

Briefing journalists at Onne Port, Rivers State on Monday where the items were seized, the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, said the arms and ammunitions include 764 units of Tomahawk Jojef Magnum Black Pump Action Rifles; 10 units of VC Verney Caron Gunmakers Jojef Magnum Silver Pump Action Rifles, 50 units of VC Verney Caron Gunmaker Double Barrel Rifles, 20 units of VC Verney Caron Gunmaker Single Barrel Rifles, Exclusive Series, and Sterling High-Quality Live Ammunition.

The Comptroller General said the duty-paid value of the container is N4,171,710,000.

According to him, eight other containers with falsely declared contents, including used clothes and cough syrup with codeine, have been seized with a total duty-paid value of N13,915,710,000.

The Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, has commended the officers involved in the operation.

He warned others who may be contemplating similar illegal activities that the Nigeria Customs Service will not tolerate any action that compromises the economy and security of the nation.