Customs Intercepts Illicit Drugs, Pharmaceuticals, Others Worth N53bn at Apapa Port
CGC Adeniyi, Customs officials and NDLEA, NAFDAC representatives inspecting some of the seized items..
• Hands over to NDLEA, NAFDAC
By Francis Ugwoke
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on Wednesday announced different seizures of illicit drugs and expired pharmaceutical products worth N53.39bn at Apapa Port in Lagos,
This was disclosed by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Dr. Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, at a press briefing.
Adeniyi said that the seizures were made through “intelligence gathering, non-intrusive inspection technology, cargo scanning, physical examination and sustained collaboration with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA)”
Details of the items in nine containers were large quantities of cannabis, codeine syrup, expired pharmaceutical products and fake drugs.
Two 40-foot containers were loaded with Cannabis Sativa (Canadian Loud) and concealed in vehicles, household items and automobile spare parts.
Others were two containers with 339,800 bottles of Codeine Syrup, concealed in cartons of insulated casserole dishes.
The Customs boss also said three other containers had expired pharmaceutical products, Tramadol, Oxytocin injections, Carbamazepine tablets, Cloxicillin capsules, Vitamin B12 injections and B-Complex injections.
One of the containers was laden with Piccan Teething Powder, while another was carrying 1,100 packages of CHACOLD Chlorpheniramine Maleate Capsules with a fake NAFDAC registration number.
According to the Customs CG, further investigation showed that the products were not registered by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), adding that what the importer wanted to do was to smuggle unregistered pharmaceutical products into the market.
Adeniyi said, “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,”
The seized drugs were handed over to the NDLEA, while the expired and fake pharmaceutical products were handed over to NAFDAC.
Adeniyi said that the vehicles, spare parts and other legitimate products which were used to conceal other illicit goods would remain in Customs custody until forfeiture and revenue recovery.
He added that enforcement actions under the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023 would be taken.
He commended that the Apapa Area Command and other agencies for being vigilant and adopting highest level of professionalism in their job.
The NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd.), was represented by the Director of Seaport Operations, ACGN Ibinabo Archiea Abia Ogoba.
Describing the handover as a major landmark, Marwa said the seizures were as a result of more than four months of intelligence gathering and marine surveillance carried out by the NDLEA’s Special Investigation Unit and Marine Intelligence Unit in collaboration with international partners, including the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
He said, “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,”
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