By Peace Udugba
Apapa Customs Intercepts 1.8 Tonnes of Cannabis Sativa, Seizes Expired Pharmaceuticals Worth ₦12.78bn
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Apapa Area Command, has recorded another major breakthrough in its ongoing fight against transnational organised crime, illicit trade, and threats to national security and public health.
Acting on credible intelligence and deploying advanced risk assessment tools, officers of the Command, in collaboration with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), intercepted a 40-foot container loaded with a large consignment of Cannabis Sativa, popularly known as “Canadian Loud.”
The interception took place on June 15, 2026, at about 12:00 noon. The container, identified as CAAU7569127, was found to contain 3,639 sachets of the illicit substance, each weighing 500 grams, bringing the total weight to approximately 1,819 kilograms (1.81 tonnes).
Preliminary field tests conducted on the substance returned positive results for Cannabis Sativa.
According to the Command, the drugs were carefully concealed inside a vehicle and hidden alongside several bags and drums within the container. The intelligence-led operation underscores the Command’s growing capacity to detect and dismantle sophisticated smuggling networks seeking to exploit Nigeria’s maritime gateways.
The examination of the container was conducted in collaboration with relevant security and regulatory agencies.
In a related development, the Command also intercepted two 40-foot containers laden with expired pharmaceutical products illegally imported into the country.
A physical examination revealed that the products had expiry dates ranging from 2021 to 2023. Customs officials said the importers allegedly intended to relabel and reintroduce the expired drugs into the Nigerian market, thereby posing serious health risks to consumers.
One of the containers, numbered PCIU8771576, contained expired pharmaceutical products, including Cidoxilin Capsules, Cynamine Vitamin B12 Injection, and Becoline B-Complex Injection.
The second container, identified as MRKU4961275, contained various expired medical products such as Oxytocin Injection, Mexclor Eye Drops, Avomex Tablets, Carbamazepine Tablets, Silymarin Tablets, Nystatin Tablets, and Hyoscine Butylbromide Tablets.
The seized items have a combined Duty Paid Value (DPV) of ₦12,784,479,341.72.
Customs said the seizures underscore the scale of the attempted economic sabotage and highlight the Service’s commitment to protecting national security, public health, and the economy through intelligence-driven enforcement operations.
The Command noted that the interceptions prevented potentially harmful and ineffective medications from reaching hospitals, pharmacies, and homes across the country.
Speaking on the seizures, the Customs Area Controller (CAC), Apapa Area Command, Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba, warned importers and their collaborators against engaging in smuggling, drug trafficking, and the importation of expired pharmaceuticals.
He said, “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 immediately desist because the consequences will be swift, decisive and uncompromising. Apapa Port will not be used as a conduit for economic sabotage and public health endangerment.”
Oshoba further stated that Apapa Port and all Customs-controlled areas remain under constant surveillance, adding that officers of the Command remain committed to protecting the economy, safeguarding public health, and preventing criminal exploitation of the nation’s borders.
He reassured Nigerians that the Command would continue to intensify intelligence-driven operations aimed at protecting lives, facilitating legitimate trade, and strengthening national security.
The statement was signed by Isah Sulaiman, Chief Superintendent of Customs and Public Relations Officer, Apapa Area Command, on behalf of the Customs Area Controller.
