Customs Seizes N12.8bn Cannabis, Expired Drugs at Apapa Port, Foils Major Smuggling Plot, Intercept Three Containers Laden with ‘Canadian Loud’ and Expired Pharmaceuticals

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Apapa Area Command, has intercepted three 40-foot containers laden with Cannabis Sativa and expired pharmaceutical products with a combined Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N12.8 billion at the Lagos Port Complex, Apapa.

The seizures, carried out through a joint operation involving the Nigeria Customs Service and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), dealt a major blow to suspected drug traffickers and importers attempting to flood the Nigerian market with illicit and expired products.

In a statement issued on Wednesday by the Public Relations Officer of the Command, Isah Sulaiman, Customs disclosed that officers intercepted a 40-foot container marked CAAU7569127 containing a large consignment of Cannabis Sativa, popularly known as “Canadian Loud.”

The interception was made on June 15, 2026, following intelligence-led surveillance and cargo profiling.

According to the Command, a physical examination of the container led to the discovery of 3,639 sachets of the illicit substance concealed inside a Toyota vehicle, a Toyota Sienna, as well as several bags and drums loaded within the container.

The seized narcotics weighed approximately 1,819 kilograms, equivalent to about 1.81 metric tonnes.

Preliminary field tests conducted on the substance confirmed it was Cannabis Sativa.

In a separate operation, Customs officers uncovered two additional 40-foot containers loaded with expired pharmaceutical products allegedly destined for circulation within the Nigerian market.

The Command revealed that the medicines had expired between 2021 and 2023 and were suspected to have been imported for relabelling and resale to unsuspecting consumers.

Customs Area Controller of the Apapa Command, Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba, said one of the containers, with number PCIU8771576, contained expired Cidoxilin Capsules, Cynamine Vitamin B12 Injection and Becoline B-Complex Injection.

He disclosed that the second container, numbered MRKU4961275, was found to contain expired Oxytocin Injections, Mexclor Eye Drops, Avomex Tablets, Carbamazepine Tablets, Silymarin Tablets, Nystatin Tablets and Hyoscine Butylbromide Tablets.

Oshoba described the seizures as a significant breakthrough in the fight against economic sabotage, drug trafficking and the importation of harmful products into the country.

“This substantial seizure highlights the scale of the attempted economic sabotage and underscores the unwavering commitment of the Nigeria Customs Service to protecting national security, public health and the Nigerian economy through intelligence-driven enforcement operations,” he said.

The Customs boss noted that the operation demonstrated the Command’s enhanced capacity to identify and dismantle sophisticated smuggling networks attempting to exploit Nigeria’s maritime gateways.

According to him, the interception prevented potentially dangerous and ineffective medications from reaching hospitals, pharmacies and households across the country.

“These interceptions prevented potentially harmful and ineffective medications from entering hospitals, pharmacies and homes across Nigeria,” Oshoba stated.

He explained that the Command’s enforcement strategy is anchored on intelligence gathering, strategic profiling, data analysis and close collaboration with relevant stakeholders, including anti-narcotics and regulatory agencies.

Oshoba warned importers involved in drug trafficking, smuggling and the importation of expired medicines to desist from such activities, stressing that the Command possesses the intelligence capabilities and operational capacity to detect and prosecute offenders.

He emphasized that Apapa Port would not be allowed to serve as a channel for criminal activities capable of endangering public health and undermining the nation’s economy.

The Comptroller further assured Nigerians that Customs officers remain on high alert and will continue to intensify intelligence-driven operations aimed at safeguarding lives, facilitating legitimate trade and strengthening national security.

The latest seizure adds to a growing list of major interceptions recorded by the Nigeria Customs Service as authorities intensify efforts to curb illicit trade, narcotics trafficking and the importation of substandard and expired products into the country.