The Nigeria Customs Service has handed over seized illicit drugs, expired medicines and unregistered pharmaceutical products with a Duty Paid Value of more than ₦53.39 billion to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) during a ceremony at Apapa Port in Lagos.
The handover, witnessed by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and other sister security and regulatory agencies, underscores ongoing collaboration to combat drug trafficking and the importation of unsafe pharmaceutical products through Nigeria's seaports. Customs says the seizures involved nine containers intercepted through intelligence-led operations.
The consignments included nearly 6.8 tonnes of Cannabis Sativa, almost 340,000 bottles of codeine syrup, as well as expired and unregistered pharmaceutical products concealed in different cargoes. The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, said the seizures demonstrate the Service's growing intelligence capability and the effectiveness of inter-agency collaboration in preventing criminal networks from exploiting Nigeria's ports.
Receiving the seized narcotics on behalf of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, the agency's Director of Seaport Operations, Ibinabo Archiea Abia Ogoba, said the operation followed months of intelligence gathering involving local and international partners, adding that investigations will continue to identify and prosecute those responsible.
Representing the Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control , Dr Olakunle Olaniran, Director, Port Inspection said the seizure of expired and unregistered medicines reinforces the agency's commitment to preventing unsafe pharmaceutical products from reaching the Nigerian market through continued collaboration with sister agencies.
The Nigeria Customs Service says it will continue to strengthen intelligence sharing and joint operations with partner agencies to safeguard the nation's borders, facilitate legitimate trade and protect public health.
