Customs Seizes ₦12.7bn Expired Drugs, 1.8 Tonnes of Cannabis at Apapa Port

Customs Seizes ₦12.7bn Expired Drugs, 1.8 Tonnes of Cannabis at Apapa Port
Customs officers recovered 3,639 sachets of the substance, each weighing 500 grams
Oshoba assured that Apapa Port and other Customs-controlled areas remain under constant surveillance

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Apapa Area Command, has intercepted expired pharmaceutical products valued at more than ₦12.7 billion and a consignment of Cannabis Sativa weighing about 1.8 tonnes in separate intelligence-driven operations in Lagos.

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Eko Hot Blog reports that the command said the prohibited items were prevented from entering the Nigerian market through coordinated efforts with sister agencies, including the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and other regulatory bodies.

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The seizure was disclosed in a statement issued by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Chief Superintendent of Customs (CSC) Isah Sulaiman, who attributed the success of the operations to credible intelligence gathering and enhanced risk profiling mechanisms.

According to the statement, the operations were carefully executed following intelligence sharing and collaboration among relevant security agencies.

One of the major seizures involved a 40-foot container marked CAAU7569127, which was discovered to contain a large quantity of Cannabis Sativa, commonly referred to as “Canadian Loud.”

Customs officers recovered 3,639 sachets of the substance, each weighing 500 grams, bringing the total estimated weight to 1,819 kilograms, equivalent to approximately 1.81 tonnes.

Preliminary field tests confirmed the substance to be Cannabis Sativa.

Investigators revealed that the drugs were concealed inside a black Toyota Nissan vehicle, a Toyota Sienna, as well as in bags and drums packed within the container.

In a separate operation, the command intercepted two 40-foot containers laden with expired pharmaceutical products allegedly intended for illegal relabelling and reintroduction into the Nigerian market.

The Customs Service placed the combined Duty Paid Value (DPV) of the expired drugs at ₦12,784,479,341.72, describing the attempted importation as an act of economic sabotage and a serious threat to public health.

Customs Seizes ₦12.7bn Expired Drugs, 1.8 Tonnes of Cannabis at Apapa Port

Speaking on the seizures, the Area Comptroller, Emmanuel Oshoba, warned smugglers and their collaborators to desist from engaging in illicit trade.

“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,” he said.

Oshoba assured that Apapa Port and other Customs-controlled areas remain under constant surveillance, stressing that enforcement activities would continue to be intelligence-led without disrupting legitimate trade activities.