Barely five days after the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, visited the Apapa Port and declared that the port would no longer serve as a playground for smugglers and criminal syndicates hiding behind legitimate trade documentation, officers of the Nigeria Customs Service, Apapa Area Command, have recorded another major breakthrough.
In a swift follow-up operation on Sunday, March 15, 2026, the Command, working in collaboration with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), intercepted and seized two containers loaded with a total of 3,398 cartons, equivalent to 339,800 bottles, of Codeine-containing syrup (CSP Codeine) concealed in household utensils at the port.
The seized items have a cumulative Duty Paid Value (DPV) of ₦3,398,000,000.
Details of the seizure showed that Container No. MRKU 3816476 contained 1,700 cartons (170,000 bottles) of CSP Codeine hidden among 38 cartons of pearl-plated insulated casserole and five-foot bullet insulated hotspots.
Another container, No. TGBU 5399178, was found to contain 1,698 cartons (169,800 bottles) of the illicit syrup concealed with 36 cartons of pearl-plated casserole.
The two containers have since been converted to seizures in accordance with the provisions of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023.
Speaking on the latest interception, the Customs Area Controller of Apapa Area Command, Emmanuel Oshoba, said the operation demonstrated the Command’s unwavering commitment to the directives and vision of the CGC.
“This fresh seizure, coming just five days after the CGC’s visit and strong warning to criminal elements, is a direct response to his charge on us. We are fully aligned with the Service’s intelligence-led enforcement strategy and will continue to make Apapa Port extremely hostile to smugglers and drug traffickers,” he said.
Oshoba also commended the NDLEA for its seamless collaboration and unwavering support in the successful operation.
He reiterated that the Apapa Area Command remains committed to protecting public health, safeguarding national security and facilitating only legitimate trade, in line with the CGC’s renewed emphasis on technology-driven operations and zero tolerance for smuggling activities.
The statement was issued by I. Sulaiman, Chief Superintendent of Customs and Public Relations Officer, Apapa Area Command, on behalf of the Customs Area Controller.
