A massive consignment of illicit substances, restricted drone technology, and expired consumer products worth ₦43.58 billion in duty-paid value has been intercepted by the Apapa Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service.
While showcasing the 13 seized containers to reporters, Comptroller-General of Customs Adewale Adeniyi categorised the contraband into narcotics and controlled pharmaceuticals, security-sensitive gear, and expired human consumption goods.
Among the confiscated cargo were three specific containers carrying 15,245 parcels of cannabis sativa weighing 7,624 kilogrammes, alongside automobile spare parts, imported rice, and various foodstuffs. Customs officers also intercepted a container concealing 1,700 cartons containing 169,998 bottles of codeine syrup beneath general household items, together with two additional containers loaded with 1,282 bales of secondhand clothing.
Adeniyi warned that the prolonged misuse of prohibited drugs like codeine among youth remains a well-documented national concern linked to violence, family distress, and premature death. He noted that the single intercepted codeine container alone would have sustained illicit markets for an extended period, adding that the cannabis operations succeeded through joint intelligence sharing with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency and international security partners.
Security risks also featured prominently in the operation following the extraction of 108 units of high-definition dual-camera drones from another container. While acknowledging that drones possess legitimate applications, Adeniyi cautioned that “equipment of this kind, in the wrong hands, becomes a means of surveillance, of reconnaissance and of delivery, and our security agencies have already met it in that role in the field”. He affirmed that uncertified military-grade gear would be impounded to prevent Nigerian ports from becoming supply lines for hostile actors.
There were five containers carrying expired goods including tomato ketchup, antiseptic liquid, vaginal tablets, and disposable nappies. Adeniyi confirmed that the seized narcotics and regulated items would be formally transferred to appropriate government agencies for final destruction and legal processing.