Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
LAGOS, Nigeria – The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Apapa Area Command, has recorded a major breakthrough in its fight against transnational organised crime and threats to public health, intercepting 1.8 tonnes of Cannabis Sativa and two containers of expired pharmaceutical products with a combined Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N12.78 billion. The seizures, which were conducted on Monday, June 15, 2026, were the result of intelligence-led operations carried out in collaboration with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and other security agencies, the Command announced in a statement on Tuesday, June 16.
In a statement, the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Chief Superintendent of Customs Isah Sulaiman, said officers acting on credible intelligence and utilising advanced risk assessment tools intercepted a 40-foot container numbered CAAU7569127. Inside, they discovered a large consignment of Cannabis Sativa, commonly known as "Canadian Loud," concealed inside a black Toyota Nissan vehicle, a Toyota Sienna, as well as within bags and drums. The operation led to the recovery of 3,639 sachets of the illicit substance, each weighing 500 grams, bringing the total weight to approximately 1,819 kilograms (1.81 tonnes). Preliminary field tests confirmed the substance as Cannabis Sativa. This intelligence-driven interception highlighted the Command’s enhanced capacity to detect and dismantle sophisticated smuggling networks attempting to exploit Nigeria’s maritime entry points.
In a related development, the Command also intercepted two 40-foot containers loaded with expired pharmaceutical products illegally imported into the country. One of the containers, numbered PCIU8771576, contained expired pharmaceuticals including Cidoxilin Capsules, Cynamine Vitamin B12 Injection, and Becoline B-Complex Injection. The second container, numbered MRKU4961275, contained various expired medical products such as Oxytocin Injection, Mexclor Eye Drops, Avomex Tablets, Carbamazepine Tablets, Silymarin Tablets, Nystatin Tablets, and Hyoscine Butylbromide Tablets. A physical examination revealed that the pharmaceutical products had expiry dates ranging from 2021, 2022, and 2023. According to the Command, the importers had planned to relabel the expired products and reintroduce them into the Nigerian market, posing serious health risks to unsuspecting consumers.
The combined Duty Paid Value (DPV) of the seized items is N12,784,479,341.72, underscoring the scale of the attempted economic sabotage. The command noted that these interceptions prevented potentially harmful and ineffective medications from entering hospitals, pharmacies, and homes across Nigeria.
Speaking on the seizures, the Customs Area Controller (CAC) of the Apapa Command, Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba, warned smugglers, drug traffickers, and importers of expired pharmaceuticals to desist from their criminal activities. He stated that unpatriotic importers and their collaborators who deliberately engage in smuggling, drug trafficking, and the importation of expired pharmaceuticals are enemies of Nigeria’s progress. “We have the intelligence, the technology and the resolve to identify and apprehend them. Anyone still contemplating these criminal acts should desist immediately, because the consequences will be swift, decisive and uncompromising,” Oshoba said.
He further reiterated that Apapa Port and all Customs-controlled areas remain under constant surveillance, adding that enforcement operations will continue to be intelligence-driven while ensuring legitimate trade is not hindered. Comptroller Oshoba also praised the growing synergy between Customs and the NDLEA, noting that joint operations have significantly improved detection rates of prohibited items at the port. He attributed the breakthrough to the strategic deployment of advanced risk assessment tools and the professionalism of officers in the command.
The Command noted that these successes demonstrate that the Apapa Area Command’s enforcement strategy is anchored on intelligence gathering, strategic profiling, data analysis, and strong stakeholder collaboration. The command continues to deploy modern techniques to target high-risk consignments while facilitating legitimate trade in line with the Federal Government’s Ease of Doing Business agenda. Investigations are currently ongoing to identify the importers, clearing agents, and other accomplices linked to the seized containers for prosecution under existing laws.
📩 Stone Reporters News | 🌍 stonereportersnews.com ✉️ info@stonereportersnews.com | 📘 Facebook: Stone Reporters News | 🐦 X (Twitter): @StoneReportNew | 📸 Instagram: @stonereportersnews
Add comment
Comments