(NCS. Photo Credit: TVC News)
Operatives of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, have intercepted 1.81 tonnes of Cannabis Sativa, commonly referred to as Canadian Loud, alongside expired pharmaceutical products with a combined value of N12.7 billion, during a joint operation at the Apapa Port in Lagos.
This was made known in a statement issued on Tuesday by the spokesperson for the Apapa Command, Isah Sulaiman.
Speaking to journalists while showcasing the seized items, the Customs Area Controller of the Apapa Command, Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba, explained that the exercise was conducted in partnership with operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, attached to the port.
He attributed the success of the operation to reliable intelligence and the use of sophisticated risk assessment and profiling tools by Customs personnel.
Oshoba disclosed that Customs and NDLEA operatives jointly intercepted a 40-foot container, marked CAAU7569127, which was discovered to be loaded with a substantial quantity of the banned substance.
He described Canadian Loud as a particularly potent cannabis strain smuggled into the country and worth billions of naira on the black market.
The comptroller also revealed that officers uncovered large quantities of expired drugs hidden within containers in a bid to dodge detection. In a separate but related operation, the command intercepted two more 40-foot containers filled with expired pharmaceutical products brought into the country illegally.
Oshoba stated that a physical inspection showed the drugs had expired between 2021 and 2023, alleging that the importers planned to repackage and relabel the products for sale within the Nigerian market a move he warned could pose grave health risks to unsuspecting consumers.
He noted that valuation officers had placed the combined duty-paid worth of the seized cannabis and expired drugs at N12.7 billion, cautioning smugglers and their accomplices that the Apapa Command would sustain its efforts to curb the importation of prohibited goods through the port.
The Customs boss commended the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, and the service’s management for ongoing capacity-building programmes, which he said had boosted the operational effectiveness of officers.
He reaffirmed the command’s resolve to protect national security, public health, and the economy by preventing harmful and illegal substances from entering the country, while also commending the strong working relationship between Customs and the NDLEA, which he said had greatly improved the detection of contraband at the port.
According to him, modern scanning equipment and cargo profiling systems were instrumental in flagging the suspicious containers for closer examination.
He added that investigations are underway to identify the importers, clearing agents, and others linked to the seized consignments, with a view to possible prosecution.
The Nigeria Customs Service restated its zero-tolerance stance on smuggling and called on genuine importers to adhere strictly to existing import guidelines in order to avoid penalties.