Apapa Customs Intercepts 1.8 Tonnes of Cannabis, Seizes Expired Pharmaceuticals Worth N12.78bn

Apapa Customs Intercepts 1.8 Tonnes of Cannabis, Seizes Expired Pharmaceuticals Worth N12.78bn

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Apapa Area Command, has intercepted 1.81 tonnes of Cannabis Sativa, popularly known as “Canadian Loud,” and seized two containers of expired pharmaceutical products with a combined Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N12.78 billion in a series of intelligence-led operations aimed at combating smuggling and protecting public health.

The seizures were announced by the Customs Area Controller of the Apapa Command, Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba, who said the operations were carried out based on credible intelligence and advanced risk assessment measures.

According to the command, officers working in collaboration with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) intercepted a 40-foot container, identified as CAAU7569127, on June 15, 2026. The container was found to contain 3,639 sachets of Cannabis Sativa weighing approximately 1,819 kilograms.

Customs officials disclosed that the illicit drugs were concealed inside a black Toyota Nissan vehicle, a Toyota Sienna, as well as several bags and drums loaded within the container. Preliminary field tests confirmed the substance as Cannabis Sativa.

The command noted that the successful interception underscored its growing capacity to detect and dismantle sophisticated smuggling networks seeking to exploit Nigeria’s maritime gateways.

In a related operation, Customs officers intercepted two additional 40-foot containers loaded with expired pharmaceutical products allegedly imported for relabelling and reintroduction into the Nigerian market.

One of the containers, with registration number PCIU8771576, contained expired pharmaceutical products including Cidoxilin Capsules, Cynamine Vitamin B12 Injection and Becoline B-Complex Injection. The second container, numbered MRKU4961275, was found to contain expired medical products such as Oxytocin Injection, Mexclor Eye Drops, Avomex Tablets, Carbamazepine Tablets, Silymarin Tablets, Nystatin Tablets and Hyoscine Butylbromide Tablets.

Customs authorities said the products had expiry dates ranging from 2021 to 2023 and posed serious health risks to consumers if allowed into circulation.

The command stated that the combined Duty Paid Value of the seized drugs and pharmaceutical products stands at N12,784,479,341.72.

Speaking on the development, Comptroller Oshoba warned individuals involved in smuggling, drug trafficking and the importation of expired pharmaceuticals to desist from such activities, stressing that the command possesses the intelligence, technology and operational capacity to identify and apprehend offenders.

“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,” he said.

He further emphasized that Apapa Port and all Customs-controlled areas remain under constant surveillance, adding that officers of the command remain committed to protecting the Nigerian economy, safeguarding public health and preventing criminal exploitation of the nation’s borders.

The Apapa Area Command reaffirmed its commitment to intensifying intelligence-driven enforcement operations while facilitating legitimate trade in line with the Federal Government’s Ease of Doing Business agenda.