Apapa Customs Seizes ₦3.4 Billion Worth of Codeine Syrup

BY FUNMI ALUKO

Officers of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Apapa Area Command, have intercepted two containers laden with codeine syrup valued at ₦3.398 billion, in what authorities describe as another major blow against drug trafficking syndicates operating through the nation’s busiest port.

The seizure, carried out on Sunday, March 15, 2026, was the result of a joint operation between the Customs Service and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). A statement by the Command Public Relations Officer, ChiefSuperintendent of Customs Sulaiman Isah said the contraband, 3,398 cartons containing 339,800 bottles of codeine syrup, was cleverly concealed within household utensils inside the containers.

According to Isah, the intercepted shipments, identified as Container No. MRKU 3816476 and Container No. TGBU 5399178, were found to contain 1,700 cartons and 1,698 cartons of codeine syrup respectively, hidden among insulated casseroles. He explained that both containers have since been converted to seizure under the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023.

Speaking on the breakthrough, Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba, Customs Area Controller for Apapa Command, said the operation underscores the Command’s commitment to the directives of Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, who recently warned smugglers that Apapa Port would no longer serve as a safe haven for illicit trade.

“This fresh seizure, coming just five days after the CGC’s visit and stern warning, is a direct response to his charge on us,” Oshoba stated.

“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 further commended the NDLEA for its seamless collaboration, stressing that the Command remains resolute in protecting public health, safeguarding national security, and facilitating only legitimate trade.

The latest interception adds to a growing list of high-profile seizures at Apapa Port, reinforcing the Customs Service’s renewed emphasis on technology-driven operations and zero tolerance for smuggling activities.