Operatives of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) have intercepted 1.81 tonnes of Cannabis Sativa, popularly known as Canadian Loud, alongside expired pharmaceutical products with a combined duty-paid value of ₦12.7 billion at Apapa Port in Lagos.
The illicit drugs were concealed in a 40-foot container marked CAAU7569127 and intercepted during a joint operation involving Customs officers and operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) stationed at the port.
According to a statement issued yesterday by the command’s spokesperson, Isah Sulaiman, Customs officers also uncovered large quantities of expired pharmaceutical products hidden in separate containers in an attempt to evade detection.
Speaking while displaying the seized items to journalists, the Customs Area Controller of Apapa Command, Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba, attributed the breakthrough to actionable intelligence and the strategic deployment of advanced risk assessment and cargo profiling tools.
Oshoba disclosed that the command also intercepted two 40-foot containers loaded with expired pharmaceutical products illegally imported into the country.
He said physical examination of the containers revealed that the drugs had expired between 2021 and 2023, raising concerns that they could have been relabelled and reintroduced into the Nigerian market.
According to him, the planned circulation of the expired products posed serious health risks to unsuspecting consumers across the country.
The Comptroller stated that Customs valuation officers estimated the combined duty-paid value of the seized Cannabis Sativa and expired drugs at ₦12.7 billion.
He warned importers and their collaborators that the Apapa Command remains vigilant and will continue to frustrate attempts to smuggle prohibited and harmful goods through the nation’s busiest seaport.
Oshoba added that advanced scanning technology and profiling systems played a key role in identifying the suspicious containers for detailed examination by enforcement teams.
He said investigations were ongoing to identify the importers, clearing agents and other accomplices linked to the seizures, with a view to prosecuting those found culpable.
The Nigeria Customs Service reaffirmed its zero-tolerance stance on smuggling and urged legitimate traders to comply with import regulations to avoid sanctions.