Korede Abdullah 
LAGOS, Nigeria – The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted illicit drugs and expired pharmaceuticals valued at N12.7 billion at Apapa Port, in one of the country’s largest anti-smuggling operations in recent years.
The seizure included 1.81 tonnes of Cannabis Sativa, commonly known as Canadian Loud, alongside expired pharmaceutical products allegedly destined for the Nigerian market.
Speaking while displaying the items on Tuesday, the Customs Area Controller of the Apapa Command, Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba, said the operation was driven by intelligence gathering and advanced cargo screening systems.
According to Oshoba, Customs officers and NDLEA operatives intercepted a 40-foot container marked CAAU7569127 containing Canadian Loud, a highly potent strain of marijuana with significant black-market value.
“Modern scanning technology and cargo profiling systems played a major role in identifying the suspicious containers for detailed inspection,” he said.
The command also intercepted two additional 40-foot containers loaded with expired medicines.
Physical examinations revealed that the pharmaceutical products had expired between 2021 and 2023, raising concerns that they could have posed severe health risks if distributed.
Oshoba alleged that the importers intended to repackage and relabel the expired drugs to evade detection and enter the local market.
He said Customs valuation officers estimated the combined duty-paid value of the seized items at N12.7 billion, underscoring the scale of the operation.
The Apapa Port seizure highlights growing concerns over drug trafficking and the influx of substandard medicines into Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country.
The comptroller reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to safeguarding public health, national security and the economy.
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