The Apapa Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has intercepted a major shipment of illicit drugs and expired pharmaceuticals with a combined Duty Paid Value of N12.78 billion, in a coordinated intelligence-led operation carried out in collaboration with the NDLEA.
The Customs Area Controller of the Apapa Command, Emmanuel Oshoba, disclosed that officers, acting on credible intelligence and advanced risk profiling tools, intercepted a 40-foot container numbered CAAU7569127 on Monday, June 15, 2026, at about 12:00 noon, which contained 1.8 tonnes of Cannabis Sativa, popularly known as Canadian Loud.
According to him, the illicit substance was carefully concealed inside a vehicle and other packaged items within the container in an attempt to evade detection.
“The operation led to the recovery of 3,639 sachets of Cannabis Sativa, each weighing 500 grams, bringing the total to approximately 1,819 kilograms,” Oshoba said.
He stated further, “preliminary field tests confirmed the substance to be Cannabis Sativa. This interception demonstrates our improved capacity to detect and dismantle sophisticated smuggling networks targeting our maritime gateways.”
In a related development, the Command also intercepted two additional 40-foot containers laden with expired pharmaceutical products allegedly intended for relabelling and distribution within the Nigerian market.
The first container, PCIU8771576, contained expired products including antibiotics and vitamin-based injections, while the second container, MRKU4961275, was found to contain a range of expired medications such as Oxytocin Injection, Carbamazepine Tablets, Nystatin Tablets, and other pharmaceutical products with expiry dates ranging from 2021 to 2023.
Oshoba warned that the consignment posed a serious public health threat, noting that the importers planned to reintroduce the expired drugs into circulation.
“These intercepted products were clearly intended to be relabelled and pushed into the market, endangering the lives of unsuspecting Nigerians,” he said. “These are not just economic crimes; they are direct attacks on public health and national security.”
He added that the combined Duty Paid Value of the seized items stood at N12.8billion describing it as a significant attempt at economic sabotage.
“The Nigeria Customs Service remains fully committed to safeguarding the nation’s borders, protecting public health, and ensuring that Nigeria is not used as a conduit for illicit trade,” he stated.
Oshoba further assured that the Apapa Port remains under constant surveillance, warning smugglers and criminal networks to steer clear of Customs-controlled areas.
“We have the intelligence, the technology, and the resolve to identify and apprehend offenders. Anyone still engaging in these illegal activities should desist immediately, as the consequences will be swift and uncompromising,” he warned.
The Command, however, reiterated its commitment to intelligence-driven enforcement while facilitating legitimate trade in line with the Federal Government’s Ease of Doing Business agenda, stressing that collaboration with sister agencies would continue to strengthen border security and protect Nigerians from harmful imports.
