Joyce Mmereole Okoli
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has recorded one of its most significant anti-smuggling breakthroughs in recent years, intercepting 16 containers packed with an alarming mix of contraband goods at the Apapa Port in Lagos. The seizures, valued at ₦10,273,694,595 in Duty Paid Value, included dangerous drugs, firearms, expired pharmaceuticals, banned poultry products, and counterfeit consumer goods.
Showcasing the seizure before journalists on Monday, the Comptroller General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, said the bust is a resounding statement of the Service’s determination to protect the Nigerian public from harmful products and disrupt the operations of criminal networks.
“The seized items are a mix of dangerous substances and goods that pose a significant threat to the health and well-being of Nigerians,” Adeniyi declared.
The CGC revealed that the confiscated items included 101 kilograms of cannabis, two pump-action rifles, 25 cartridges, one Smith & Wesson pistol, and 55 rounds of ammunition. Expired drugs and counterfeit pharmaceuticals which could have endangered countless lives were also among the intercepted goods, alongside banned frozen poultry products smuggled in defiance of Nigeria’s food safety regulations.
Four suspects have been arrested in connection with the seizures. Adeniyi confirmed that two of them will be handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the Department of State Services (DSS) for further investigation and prosecution. The remaining suspects are currently in custody pending completion of ongoing investigations.
The Customs boss credited the success to robust intelligence sharing and sustained operational synergy with sister agencies, particularly the NDLEA and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC). He stressed that these partnerships have been critical in tracking, intercepting, and neutralizing the flow of harmful goods into the country.
“This Service will continue to deliver uncompromising enforcement backed by intelligence. Perpetrators will face the full wrath of the law, and we will run criminal elements out of business,” he warned.
The CGC noted that the interception sends a strong message to syndicates exploiting Nigeria’s ports for illicit trade, reaffirming the NCS’s commitment to blocking all entry points for harmful goods. He said the operation is part of an intensified nationwide clampdown aimed at safeguarding both the national economy and the health of Nigerians.
Customs officials believe that without this interception, the seized items would have flooded Nigerian markets, undermining legitimate businesses, endangering consumers, and potentially fuelling crime through the circulation of firearms and narcotics.
The Apapa Port Command has, in recent months, stepped up its monitoring and intelligence-gathering operations, targeting high-risk consignments and suspicious import patterns. The CGC said similar large-scale seizures are expected as the NCS tightens its surveillance, warning smugglers that “there will be no hiding place.”
With billions worth of harmful goods now out of circulation, the seizure stands as a landmark success in Nigeria’s anti-smuggling drive and a sobering reminder to importers and shipping agents that Customs is watching, and will act decisively.