The Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, has announced the handover of seized narcotic drugs and expired pharmaceutical products intercepted by the Apapa Area Command, with a combined Duty Paid Value of ₦53.39 billion.
Speaking at the briefing in Lagos on Wednesday, Adeniyi said the seizures were made through intelligence gathering, scanning analysis, physical examination and collaboration with the NDLEA and other agencies. He said the operation reflects Customs’ commitment to protecting society through vigilance, intelligence-driven border management and inter-agency cooperation.
He listed the seizures to include containers of Cannabis Sativa, Codeine Syrup, expired pharmaceutical products such as Tramadol, Oxytocin injections, Carbamazepine tablets, Cloxicillin capsules, Cynamine B12 injections and Becoline B-Complex injections. He also mentioned a container of Piccan Teething Powder and another consignment of CHACOLD Chlorpheniramine Maleate Capsules bearing a fake NAFDAC registration number.
Adeniyi said the CHACOLD seizure initially appeared legitimate, but further verification showed that the product was not registered with NAFDAC and had been supported by fake documentation. He said the attempt represented a deliberate effort to smuggle unregistered pharmaceutical products into the Nigerian market and posed a serious public health risk.
He explained that narcotic drugs under the statutory jurisdiction of the NDLEA would be formally handed over to the agency for investigation and prosecution, while expired pharmaceuticals would be transferred to NAFDAC for regulatory action and safe disposal. Where the illicit items were concealed alongside vehicles or spare parts, he said the prohibited items alone would be handed over, while the remaining goods would stay with Customs for seizure, forfeiture and other enforcement actions.
The Customs chief praised officers of the Apapa Area Command for their professionalism and vigilance, and commended the continued collaboration between Customs, NDLEA, NAFDAC and other security agencies. He warned smugglers that Nigeria’s ports are no longer safe havens for illicit drugs or prohibited goods, adding that Customs will continue to intercept, expose and prosecute offenders.