The Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) said it seized 13 containers filled with expired pharmaceuticals, codeine-based products, cannabis, and other prohibited items at Apapa Port in Lagos.
The goods, with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N6.38 billion, were uncovered through an intelligence-led operation and advanced cargo inspection technologies, the NCS said in a statement posted on its official Facebook page on Thursday.
According to the statement, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, disclosed this during a press briefing at APM Terminals, Apapa, on Tuesday.
He emphasised the Service’s commitment to curbing the importation of dangerous and prohibited goods.
He added that expanding scanning technology remains central to the Service’s modernisation agenda, noting that the initiative would allow officers to concentrate physical inspections on high-risk shipments while facilitating faster clearance for compliant traders across major commands.
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“As the volume of trade passing through Nigerian ports continues to grow, the responsibility placed on the NCS becomes even greater. While our mandate requires us to facilitate legitimate trade, we must also ensure that our ports are not exploited by criminal networks attempting to introduce dangerous, prohibited or falsely declared goods into the country,” he said.
Mr Adeniyi explained that the intercepted consignments included large quantities of expired pharmaceutical products, unregistered drugs, 800 cartons of codeine concealed inside sanitary wares, cannabis, restricted security equipment and expired food items.
He warned that the importation of expired drugs and controlled substances poses a serious threat to public health and national security.
“Let me state clearly that Apapa Port is no longer a playground for smugglers or criminal syndicates hiding behind legitimate trade documentation.
“In accordance with the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023, these consignments are liable to outright forfeiture, while penalties will be imposed, evaded revenues recovered, and all persons connected to these shipments will face prosecution,” he said.
