The Apapa Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has recorded a major breakthrough in its ongoing crackdown on transnational organised crime, intercepting over 1.8 tonnes of cannabis and two containers of expired pharmaceutical products with a combined Duty Paid Value (DPV) of ₦12.78 billion.
The seizures, which were made through intelligence-driven operations and inter-agency collaboration, underscore the Command’s commitment to safeguarding national security, public health and the economy.
According to the Command, officers working in collaboration with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) successfully intercepted a 40-foot container, numbered CAAU7569127, on June 15, 2026, carrying a large consignment of Cannabis Sativa, popularly known as “Canadian Loud.”
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 or 1.81 tonnes.
Preliminary field tests confirmed the substance as Cannabis Sativa.
Customs said the drugs were carefully concealed inside a vehicle and hidden among bags and drums loaded in the container in an apparent attempt to evade detection.
The Command noted that the intelligence-led interception highlights its enhanced capacity to identify and dismantle sophisticated smuggling networks seeking to exploit Nigeria’s maritime gateways.
In a related development, Customs officers also intercepted two separate 40-foot containers loaded with expired pharmaceutical products illegally imported into the country.
A physical examination of the consignments revealed that the products had expiry dates ranging from 2021 to 2023 and were allegedly intended for relabelling and reintroduction into the Nigerian market.
The Command warned that the products posed serious health risks to consumers and could have found their way into hospitals, pharmacies and homes across the country if not intercepted.
One of the containers, numbered PCIU8771576, contained expired pharmaceutical products including Cidoxilin Capsules, Cynamine Vitamin B12 Injection and Becoline B-Complex Injection.
The second container, numbered MRKU4961275, was found to contain expired medical products such as Oxytocin Injection, Mexclor Eye Drops, Avomex Tablets, Carbamazepine Tablets, Silymarin Tablets, Nystatin Tablets and Hyoscine Butylbromide Tablets.
The Command disclosed that the seized cannabis and expired pharmaceuticals have a combined Duty Paid Value of ₦12,784,479,341.72.
Customs officials described the seizure as a significant blow to criminal elements involved in economic sabotage and the illegal drug trade.
Speaking on the development, the Customs Area Controller of the Apapa Area Command, Emmanuel Oshoba, warned importers and their collaborators against engaging in smuggling, drug trafficking and the importation of expired medical products.
“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,” he said.
Oshoba stressed that anyone contemplating such criminal activities should desist, warning that Customs would continue to respond swiftly and decisively to any attempt to undermine the nation’s security and economic wellbeing.
“Apapa Port will not be used as a conduit for economic sabotage and public health endangerment,” he added.
The Customs boss further stated that Apapa Port and all Customs-controlled areas remain under constant surveillance, assuring Nigerians that officers of the Command remain resolute in protecting the economy, safeguarding public health and preventing criminal exploitation of the nation’s borders.
He reiterated the Command’s commitment to intensifying intelligence-driven operations while facilitating legitimate trade in line with the Federal Government’s Ease of Doing Business agenda.
