Far North: Customs seizes huge consignment of contraband liquor from Nigeria.

The seizure was conducted by officers of the Maroua Mobile Customs Brigade. It was carried out as part of ongoing efforts to combat smuggling activities along the Cameroon-Nigeria border.

According to customs officials, the illegal shipment had been fraudulently transported into the country from Nigeria before being intercepted by officers during surveillance operations.

The cargo reportedly contained 52,000 sachets of whisky concealed in 390 cartons weighing approximately 5.5 kilograms each. 

Customs services also discovered 5,400 packets of expired biscuits and 39 pallets of beer containing 24 bottles each.

Authorities have described the products as illicit and potentially dangerous to public health, especially the expired food items intended for illegal circulation on local markets.

The operation, we gathered, is part of intensified border control measures aimed at curbing the influx of smuggled goods into the national territory. 

The Far North Region, authorities are quoted as having said shares a long and porous border with Nigeria and remain one of the major transit zones for contraband products entering Cameroon.

Customs officials reiterated their determination to protect consumers and preserve the national economy from the harmful effects of illegal trade.

In a statement issued after the operation, customs services reassured the population that surveillance remains active both at border entry points and within the country’s internal commercial circuits.

Officials further warned smugglers and illicit traders that enforcement operations will continue and defaulters brought to book.

According to sources, smuggled alcoholic beverages and expired consumables have remained a growing concern for public authorities due to the health risks associated with unregulated products, as well as the significant tax losses suffered by the state. 

Government have equally been urged to fine defaulters and put in place tougher measures to punish them.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3793 of Tuesday May 19, 2026