The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intercepted 13 containers containing 7,624kg of cannabis sativa, 169,998 bottles of codeine syrup,108 units of high-definition dual-camera drones and expired goods at the Apapa port in Lagos.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, who disclosed this on Thursday during a press briefing on seizures recorded at the command, said the interceptions were the outcome of sustained intelligence-led operations and strengthened cargo profiling.
According to Adeniyi, the seizures had a combined duty paid value (DPV) of N43. 59billion.
He noted that the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023, mandates the Service to go beyond revenue collection to include securing the supply chain, protecting the border and ensuring the safety of goods entering the country.
“The revenue is the part of our work that is counted publicly each quarter. The other part is measured in what never reaches the street, and it is that part I am reporting today,” he said.
Adeniyi explained that criminal networks were increasingly concealing illicit goods within otherwise legitimate consignments, making intelligence-led targeting critical to effective enforcement at the nation’s ports.
He said narcotics were now being concealed among vehicle spare parts and used vehicles, controlled drugs beneath household items, while restricted equipment was being declared as ordinary electronics.
The Comptroller-General said the Service had strengthened its cargo profiling and risk assessment systems across its commands and deployed the B’Odogwu platform to integrate trade data into its assessment process.
He added that the establishment of an INTERPOL Data Centre at the NCS headquarters in Abuja in July had further strengthened the Service’s intelligence-gathering capacity.
According to him, the centre is the eighth INTERPOL Data Centre on the African continent and gives Customs officers access to more than 152 international databases.
He also cited deeper operational cooperation with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), the Office of the National Security Adviser and international security partners as part of measures supporting the recent interceptions.
Giving details of the seizures, Adeniyi said three containers carrying cannabis contained 15,245 parcels, more than 7.5 tonnes.
He said the first cannabis consignment, contained in a 40-foot container with number HAMU 3086682, comprised 4,777 parcels of cannabis sativa weighing 2,388.5kg.
The consignment was concealed in two cartons, 48 jumbo bags and 40 drums and was accompanied by assorted automobile spare parts, a carton of coffee mix, eight cartons of oats and three vehicles.
The second cannabis-laden container, FANU 1933352, also a 40-foot container, contained 8,287 parcels weighing 4,145kg and packed in 162 bags, alongside three vehicles.
The third narcotics container, MSKU 3941778 was a 20-foot container carrying 2,181 parcels of cannabis sativa weighing 1,090.5kg.
The consignment also contained 148 bags of foreign parboiled rice, assorted automobile spare parts, two boxes of lithium batteries, a photovoltaic combiner box, 19 cartons of turmeric, 33 cartons of mangala fish and 11 cartons of butterfly fish.
“The cannabis interceptions are the product of inter-agency work with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, supported by credible intelligence from international security partners. That intelligence was analysed and acted upon here through cargo profiling, documentary scrutiny and targeted examination by officers of this Service. I thank the NDLEA and our international partners for their cooperation, ” he said.
Adeniyi also disclosed the interception of a 40-foot container, TCKU 7653306 , containing 1,700 cartons of codeine syrup comprising 169,998 bottles, concealed under household items.
He noted that the abuse of prohibited substances such as codeine among young Nigerians had remained a major national concern, with serious consequences for individuals, families and society.
Beyond narcotics, Customs also intercepted 108 units of high-definition dual-camera drones from container MSKU 9282528.
The CGC said although drones had legitimate applications, such equipment could pose security risks when placed in the wrong hands.
He warned importers of security-sensitive equipment to obtain the required approvals, end-user certificates and other documentation before shipment.
“Restricted and security-sensitive equipment requires the appropriate security approvals, end-user certificates and documentation before clearance. Consignments of that character that arrive without them will be detained,” he warned.
Also intercepted were three containers containing 1,282 bales of used clothing. They comprised 425 bales in MRKU 6185100 435 bales in MRKU 5539966 and 422 bales in SEKU 4685299.
Five additional containers were found to be loaded with expired products, including tomato ketchup, antiseptic liquid, vaginal tablets and disposable nappies.
Adeniyi said the importation of expired products intended for consumption or household use posed significant health risks to Nigerians.
“These are products applied to the body and consumed by households. Their importation after expiry places children, women and other consumers at risk of harm they have no means of detecting at the point of purchase,” he said.
The seized narcotics and controlled pharmaceuticals were subsequently handed over to NDLEA and NAFDAC respectively for further action.
The Customs boss assured legitimate traders that the intensified enforcement would not hinder lawful commerce, stressing that Customs would continue to facilitate the quick movement of legitimate trade.
“To those engaged in false declaration, concealment, undervaluation or the importation of prohibited goods, the position is straightforward: no port, border station or logistics channel will be permitted to serve as a safe haven,” Adeniyi said.
He urged importers and other stakeholders to take advantage of Customs compliance mechanisms, including the Advance Ruling system, which enables traders to obtain the Service’s position on classification, valuation and origin before shipment.
He also encouraged compliant operators to join the Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) programme, which provides more predictable clearance and fewer interventions where risk assessment permits.
“Compliance is not an obstacle to business; it is an advantage over competitors who lack it,” he said.
Adeniyi commended officers and men of the Apapa Area Command for their vigilance and professionalism, while appreciating the NDLEA, NAFDAC and international partners for their cooperation.
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