The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intercepted counterfeit medicines bearing fake National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, labels; illicit drugs and expired pharmaceutical products with a combined Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N53.39 billion at the Apapa Port in Lagos.
The seizures, which involved nine separate consignments, were displayed on Wednesday during a ceremony at the Apapa Area Command.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi described the operation as one of its most significant anti-smuggling successes in recent years.
He said that the interceptions were made through intelligence-driven operations involving cargo scanning, detailed physical examinations and close collaboration with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA.
According to Adeniyi, the confiscated items included more than 6.7 tonnes of Cannabis Sativa, popularly known as Canadian Loud, concealed inside two 40-foot containers alongside imported vehicles and automobile spare parts.
Other seized items comprised 339,800 bottles of Codeine syrup, multiple consignments of expired pharmaceutical products, Piccan Teething Powder and counterfeit medicines carrying fake NAFDAC registration details.
He revealed that one of the consignments contained 1,100 packages of CHACOLD Chlorpheniramine Maleate Capsules fraudulently bearing a fake NAFDAC registration number and a falsified expiry date in an apparent attempt to evade regulatory scrutiny.
According to the Customs boss, the consignment initially appeared genuine during preliminary inspection. However, a thorough verification of the accompanying NAFDAC certification established that the product had never been registered with the agency.
He explained that the use of forged registration numbers and falsified documentation demonstrated a deliberate attempt by importers to flood the Nigerian market with unregistered pharmaceutical products capable of endangering public health.
Adeniyi stated that the counterfeit medicines were seized in accordance with the provisions of the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023, and would be transferred to NAFDAC for comprehensive investigation, regulatory action and appropriate disposal.
He disclosed that the cumulative value of the nine seizures stood at N53,391,140,029, stressing that the significance of the operation extended beyond its financial value.
According to him, the successful interceptions prevented dangerous narcotics and unsafe medicines from reaching Nigerian consumers, thereby protecting lives, preserving families and reducing the risks associated with drug abuse and counterfeit pharmaceuticals.
The Comptroller-General warned that the importation of expired medicines, counterfeit drugs and controlled substances continues to pose a serious threat to public health and national security, noting that criminal organisations have become increasingly sophisticated in concealing prohibited items within legitimate cargo.
He added that the operation demonstrated the Nigeria Customs Service's growing intelligence capability, technological capacity and operational readiness to detect, intercept and dismantle organised criminal networks exploiting the country's ports.
Adeniyi announced that the seized narcotic drugs would be formally handed over to the NDLEA for further investigation and prosecution, while the expired pharmaceutical products and counterfeit medicines would be transferred to NAFDAC for regulatory enforcement and safe destruction.
He clarified that only the prohibited items were released to the relevant agencies, while the vehicles, spare parts and other imported goods used to conceal the illicit cargo would remain in the custody of the Nigeria Customs Service pending seizure, forfeiture proceedings, condemnation, revenue recovery and other enforcement actions provided under the law.
The Customs chief commended officers and personnel of the Apapa Area Command for their professionalism and dedication, while also acknowledging the strong collaboration between the Nigeria Customs Service, NDLEA, NAFDAC and other security agencies that contributed to the successful operation.
He also issued a stern warning to smugglers and criminal syndicates attempting to use Nigeria's seaports for illegal activities.
According to him, the latest seizures should serve as a clear indication that Nigerian ports are no longer safe transit points for traffickers dealing in illicit drugs, expired medicines and other prohibited imports.
Adeniyi reaffirmed the commitment of the Nigeria Customs Service to strengthening intelligence-led enforcement operations, enhancing inter-agency collaboration and deploying advanced technologies to secure the nation's borders, protect public health and ensure that offenders face the full weight of the law.
Speaking at the event, the Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brigadier-General Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.) disclosed that the seizure of 6,778.5 kilograms of Cannabis Indica, commonly known as Canadian Loud, followed a four-month intelligence-led operation jointly executed by the NDLEA, the Nigeria Customs Service and international law enforcement partners.
Represented by the Assistant Commander-General of Narcotics (ACGN), Ibinabo Archie-Abia, Marwa described the operation as a significant milestone in the fight against transnational drug trafficking.
He explained that the seizures, recorded on June 15 and June 24, resulted from months of painstaking intelligence gathering by the NDLEA's Special Investigation Unit and Marine Intelligence Unit working in partnership with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, RCMP, and the Nigeria Customs Service.
According to him, intelligence operatives closely monitored the movement of the containers from Canada throughout their maritime journey until they eventually arrived at Apapa Port, where they were successfully intercepted before the illicit cargo could enter the Nigerian market.
Marwa said that the operation underscored the effectiveness of sustained intelligence sharing, international cooperation and inter-agency collaboration in disrupting organised criminal syndicates engaged in cross-border drug trafficking.
He reaffirmed the agency's commitment to intensifying intelligence-driven operations aimed at dismantling drug trafficking networks and preventing Nigeria from being used as a transit or destination point for illicit narcotics.
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