NDLEA-backed operation at Apapa Port intercepts 1.81 tonnes of ‘Canadian Loud’ and pharmaceutical products allegedly destined for relabelling and sale in Nigeria.
Lagos: The Apapa Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intercepted 1.81 tonnes of Cannabis Sativa, popularly known as “Canadian Loud”, and large quantities of expired pharmaceutical products with a combined duty-paid value of ₦12.7 billion.
The seizure was made at Apapa Port, Lagos, through a joint operation involving Customs officers and operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), according to a statement issued on Tuesday by the command’s spokesman, Isah Sulaiman.
The Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba, said the operation was driven by actionable intelligence and enhanced risk assessment mechanisms deployed by the command.
According to him, officers intercepted a 40-foot container, numbered CAAU7569127, loaded with the illicit cannabis consignment.
Oshoba described the substance as a highly potent strain of marijuana illegally imported into the country and valued at several billions of naira on the black market.
He disclosed that officers also uncovered large quantities of expired pharmaceutical products concealed in containers in an apparent attempt to evade detection.
In a related operation, the command intercepted two additional 40-foot containers loaded with expired drugs. Physical examination revealed that the pharmaceutical products had expired between 2021 and 2023.
The Customs boss said preliminary investigations indicated that the importers intended to relabel the expired medicines and reintroduce them into the Nigerian market.
He warned that such products posed serious health risks to consumers and could have severe public health consequences if allowed to circulate.
Oshoba said the combined duty-paid value of the seized cannabis and expired drugs was estimated at ₦12.7 billion.
He reaffirmed the command’s commitment to preventing the importation of prohibited and harmful goods, warning smugglers and their collaborators that Customs would continue to frustrate attempts to use the nation’s ports for illegal trade.
The comptroller commended the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, for supporting continuous training programmes for officers, which he said had enhanced operational efficiency and enforcement outcomes.
He also praised the growing collaboration between Customs and the NDLEA, noting that intelligence sharing, advanced scanning technology and profiling systems played a crucial role in identifying the suspicious containers.
Oshoba said investigations were ongoing to identify and prosecute the importers, clearing agents and other individuals linked to the seizures.
He urged legitimate traders to comply with import regulations, stressing that the NCS would maintain its zero-tolerance stance against smuggling and other forms of illegal importation.
