CGC Adeniyi, Gen Buba Speaks on Drugs Haul

…As Oshoba Led Apapa Customs Command Impound Over N53bn Contraband Narcotics, Offensive Pharmaceuticals

BY FUNMI ALUKO

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intercepted illicit drugs, expired pharmaceuticals, and counterfeit medical products worth N53.39 billion in Duty Paid Value (DPV) at the Apapa Port in Lagos, in what has been described as one of its most significant anti-smuggling operations to date.

At a press briefing held at the Apapa Area Command, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Dr. Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, flanked by senior officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and National Agency for Food and Drug Administration Control (NAFDAC), explained that the seizures were achieved through a combination of intelligence gathering, non-intrusive inspection technology, cargo scanning, physical examination, and sustained collaboration with partner agencies.

According to Adeniyi, nine containers were intercepted carrying large consignments of cannabis, codeine syrup, expired medicines, and fake pharmaceuticals fraudulently imported into Nigeria through the nation’s busiest seaport.

Among the seizures were:

Two 40-foot containers of Cannabis Sativa (Canadian Loud) concealed alongside imported vehicles, household items, and automobile spare parts. One container contained 3,639 parcels weighing 1,819.5kg, while another held 9,918 sachets weighing nearly 5 metric tonnes.

Two containers of 339,800 bottles of Codeine Syrup, hidden inside cartons of insulated casserole dishes in an attempt to evade detection.

Three containers of expired pharmaceutical products, including Tramadol, Oxytocin injections, Carbamazepine tablets, Cloxicillin capsules, Vitamin B12 injections, and B-Complex injections.

One container of Piccan Teething Powder, flagged for regulatory action.

One container of 1,100 packages of CHACOLD Chlorpheniramine Maleate Capsules, bearing a fake NAFDAC registration number, later confirmed to be unregistered.

Adeniyi stressed that the cumulative DPV of N53,391,140,029 was only part of the story:

“These seizures represent far more than monetary value. They represent lives protected, families preserved, communities secured, and countless young Nigerians shielded from the devastating consequences of drug abuse and unsafe medicines.”

He noted that the sophisticated concealment methods adopted by criminal syndicates reflected growing attempts to exploit legitimate trade channels. However, he assured that the Nigeria Customs Service now possesses the intelligence capability, technological capacity, and operational readiness to detect, intercept, and dismantle such networks.

The Customs boss announced that all narcotic drugs seized would be formally handed over to the NDLEA for further investigation and prosecution, while expired and fake pharmaceutical products would be transferred to NAFDAC for regulatory action and safe disposal. Legitimate goods used to conceal the contraband would remain in Customs custody pending forfeiture, revenue recovery, and other enforcement actions under the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023.

Commending officers of the Apapa Area Command led by Comptroller Babajide Emnanuel Oshoba, Adeniyi praised their professionalism and vigilance, reaffirming the Service’s commitment to intelligence-led enforcement, technology-driven cargo inspection, and stronger inter-agency collaboration to secure Nigeria’s borders and facilitate legitimate trade. He warned traffickers that Nigerian ports were no longer safe routes for illicit drugs, expired medicines, and prohibited imports.

Representing NDLEA Chairman/CEO Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd.), Director of Seaport Operations, ACGN Ibinabo Archiea Abia Ogoba described the handover as a landmark in operational synergy between the NDLEA and NCS. Ogoba revealed that the seizures followed more than four months of intelligence gathering and marine surveillance conducted by the NDLEA’s Special Investigation Unit and Marine Intelligence Unit, in collaboration with international partners, notably the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

“Officers tracked the illicit consignments from Canada through multiple trans-shipment points before intercepting the containers during joint operations involving the NDLEA, the Nigeria Customs Service, and other security agencies at the Lagos ports,” Ogoba stated.

He commended the professionalism, intelligence sharing, and sustained collaboration among agencies, describing the operation as clear evidence of the effectiveness of coordinated action against transnational organized crime.