Customs intercepts N43.59bn narcotics, drones, expired goods at Apapa Port

By Onu Okorie

Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intercepted 12 containers carrying narcotics, security-sensitive equipment and expired pharmaceutical and consumer products with a combined duty-paid value of N43.59 billion at the Apapa Port in Lagos.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, disclosed this on Thursday while briefing maritime journalists at the APM Terminals examination bay, Apapa.
Adeniyi said the seized items would be handed over to relevant government agencies for further investigation and action.
He said the seizures underscored the broader security responsibilities of the Customs Service beyond revenue collection, noting that the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023, mandates the agency to protect the nation’s supply chain, secure its borders and ensure the safety of goods entering the country.
“The Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023 charges this Service with more than the collection of revenue. It places on us the security of the supply chain, the protection of the border and the safety of what enters this country,” Adeniyi said.
According to him, the total duty-paid value of the seized consignments stood at exactly N43,588,618,859.
Three of the intercepted containers contained 15,245 parcels of cannabis sativa weighing 7,624 kilogrammes, equivalent to about 7.5 tonnes.
One of the containers, identified as HAMU 3086682, contained 4,777 parcels of cannabis weighing 2,388.5kg, concealed alongside automobile spare parts, coffee mix, oats and three vehicles.
Another container, FANU 1933352, contained 8,287 parcels of cannabis weighing 4,145kg and three vehicles, while MSKU 3941778 contained 2,181 parcels of cannabis weighing 1,090.5kg, alongside rice, automobile spare parts, lithium batteries, turmeric and fish products.
The Customs boss said the cannabis seizures were the result of intelligence-led operations conducted in collaboration with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and international security partners.
Adeniyi also disclosed the interception of 1,700 cartons containing 169,998 bottles of codeine syrup concealed beneath household items in container TCKU 7653306.
In another container, MSKU 9282528, Customs officers extracted 108 high-definition dual-camera drones packed in two cartons.
He warned importers that restricted and security-sensitive equipment must have the necessary approvals, end-user certificates and other required documentation before clearance.
“Consignments of that character that arrive without them will be detained,” he said, stressing that the nation’s ports must not become a channel for providing capabilities to individuals or groups working against national security.
The Customs Service also intercepted five containers loaded with expired products, including tomato ketchup, antiseptic liquid, vaginal tablets and disposable nappies.
The expired consignments, according to Adeniyi, posed potential risks to consumers, particularly children and women.
The seizures also included three containers carrying a total of 1,282 bales of used clothing.
Adeniyi said the latest interceptions reflected the changing methods adopted by criminal syndicates, who increasingly conceal prohibited items in otherwise legitimate consignments.
He explained that narcotics could be packed among vehicle spare parts and used vehicles, controlled drugs concealed beneath household goods, while restricted equipment could be falsely declared as ordinary electronics.
To tackle the trend, the Customs chief said the Service had strengthened cargo profiling and risk assessment across its commands and deployed the B’Odogwu platform to integrate trade data into its risk assessment processes.
He added that the establishment of an INTERPOL Data Centre at the Customs headquarters in Abuja had also enhanced officers’ access to more than 152 international databases.
Adeniyi said the Service had deepened operational cooperation with the NDLEA, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), the Office of the National Security Adviser and international security partners.
He commended officers and men of the Apapa Area Command for their vigilance and professionalism, while thanking the NDLEA, NAFDAC and international partners for their cooperation.
The Customs boss assured legitimate traders that the agency would continue to facilitate the quick movement of lawful commerce while preventing dangerous and prohibited goods from entering the country.
“Our ports must serve lawful commerce, industrial growth and the prosperity of this country,” he said.