Customs tightens noose on smugglers, intercepts 1. 8 tonnes cannabis, unsafe drugs worth ₦12.8bn

By Ezurike Ugochukwu 

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Apapa Area Command, has recorded a major breakthrough in its ongoing crackdown on drug trafficking, smuggling and other forms of transnational organised crime, intercepting 1.81 tonnes of Cannabis Sativa, popularly known as “Canadian Loud”.

The seizures were made through intelligence-led operations carried out by officers of the Command in collaboration with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and other security and regulatory agencies, the seizures include two containers of expired pharmaceutical products with a combined Duty Paid Value (DPV) of over ₦12.78 billion.

Announcing the development, the Customs Area Controller of Apapa Command, Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba, said the operation underscored the Service’s growing capacity to detect and dismantle sophisticated smuggling networks seeking to exploit Nigeria’s maritime gateways.

In a release made available by Chief Superintendent of Customs Isa Sulaiman, Public Relations Officer of the command on Tuesday stated that acting on credible intelligence and advanced risk assessment mechanisms, officers intercepted a 40-foot container with registration number CAAU7569127 on June 15, 2026.

A thorough examination of the container revealed 3,639 sachets of Cannabis Sativa weighing 500 grams each, bringing the total weight of the seizure to approximately 1,819 kilograms or 1.81 tonnes.

The illicit drugs were ingeniously concealed inside a Toyota vehicle, a Toyota Sienna bus, as well as several bags and drums loaded within the container in an apparent attempt to evade detection.

Preliminary field tests conducted on the substance confirmed it as Cannabis Sativa.

In a separate operation, Customs officers also intercepted two 40-foot containers loaded with expired pharmaceutical products allegedly imported into the country for possible relabelling and reintroduction into the market.

Investigations revealed that the seized medicines had expiry dates ranging between 2021 and 2023, raising serious concerns about the potential danger they posed to public health.

One of the containers, identified as PCIU8771576, contained expired pharmaceutical products including Cidoxilin Capsules, Cynamine Vitamin B12 Injection and Becoline B-Complex Injection.

The second container, numbered MRKU4961275, contained expired medical products such as Oxytocin Injection, Mexclor Eye Drops, Avomex Tablets, Carbamazepine Tablets, Silymarin Tablets, Nystatin Tablets and Hyoscine Butylbromide Tablets.

Customs officials noted that the interceptions prevented potentially harmful medications from finding their way into hospitals, pharmacies and homes across the country.

The combined Duty Paid Value of the seized cannabis and expired pharmaceutical products was estimated at ₦12,784,479,341.72.

Speaking on the seizures, Comptroller Oshoba described the perpetrators as enemies of national progress and warned that the Command would continue to deploy intelligence and technology to combat criminal activities at the nation’s busiest seaport.

“Unpatriotic importers and their collaborators who 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 immediately desist because the consequences will be swift, decisive and uncompromising. Apapa Port will not be used as a conduit for economic sabotage and threats to public health,” he said.

The Customs boss further stressed that Apapa Port and all Customs-controlled areas remain under constant surveillance, assuring Nigerians that officers of the Command remain committed to protecting the economy, safeguarding public health and facilitating legitimate trade.

He noted that the Command’s enforcement strategy is anchored on intelligence gathering, strategic profiling, data analytics and strong inter-agency collaboration, enabling it to target high-risk consignments while supporting the Federal Government’s Ease of Doing Business agenda.

Oshoba

Oshoba reaffirmed the commitment of the Nigeria Customs Service to intensifying intelligence-driven operations aimed at preventing the importation of prohibited items, securing the nation’s borders and protecting citizens from the dangers posed by illicit drugs and unsafe pharmaceutical products.

The latest seizures add to a growing list of high-profile interceptions by the Apapa Area Command, reinforcing its position as a critical frontline in Nigeria’s efforts to combat smuggling, drug trafficking and other forms of economic sabotage.