Customs Seizes ₦12.7bn Expired Drugs, 1.8 Tonnes Of Cannabis In Lagos
By Sabiu Abdullahi
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Apapa Area Command, has intercepted expired pharmaceutical products valued at more than ₦12.7 billion alongside about 1.8 tonnes of Cannabis Sativa during separate operations in Lagos.
The seizures followed intelligence-driven operations carried out in collaboration with other security and regulatory agencies, including the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
The development was disclosed in a statement issued by the Public Relations Officer of the Command, Chief Superintendent of Customs, Isah Sulaiman.
According to the statement, the operations were successful due to credible intelligence gathering and improved risk assessment measures adopted by the Command.
Customs said one of the operations led to the interception of a 40-foot container identified as CAAU7569127, which contained a large quantity of Cannabis Sativa, popularly called “Canadian Loud.”
Officials recovered 3,639 sachets of the substance from the container. Each sachet weighed 500 grams. Authorities estimated the total weight at about 1,819 kilograms, equivalent to roughly 1.81 tonnes.
Field examinations later confirmed the substance as Cannabis Sativa.
The illicit drugs were reportedly concealed inside a black Toyota Nissan vehicle, a Toyota Sienna, as well as bags and drums loaded in the container.
In another operation, Customs officers intercepted two separate 40-foot containers loaded with expired pharmaceutical products allegedly intended for illegal relabelling before resale in the Nigerian market.
The Command stated that the combined Duty Paid Value (DPV) of the seized expired drugs stood at ₦12,784,479,341.72.
Customs described the attempted importation as a major threat to public health and an act capable of undermining the economy.
Reacting to the seizures, Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba warned smugglers and other criminal elements to stay away from illegal activities.
“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. Anyone still contemplating these criminal acts should desist immediately, because the consequences will be swift, decisive and uncompromising,” he said.
Oshoba also stated that Apapa Port and other Customs-controlled locations remain under close surveillance.
He added that enforcement activities would continue to rely on intelligence while ensuring that lawful business activities are not disrupted.