NCS says seized consignments, including 108 drones, expired products, used clothes worth ₦43.59bn
By Suleiman Aremu | Solaremnews | Thursday, 10 September, 2026
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intercepted 7,624 kilogrammes of cannabis sativa, 169,998 bottles of codeine syrup and other prohibited, restricted and expired goods at the Apapa Area Command in Lagos.
The seized consignments, which were displayed to journalists, were valued at a combined duty-paid value of ₦43.59 billion, according to the Customs Service.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, who addressed journalists during the display, said the seizures underscored the critical role of the service in protecting national security and consumers, beyond its traditional responsibility of revenue collection.
Adeniyi said the operation demonstrated the Customs Service’s commitment to stopping the movement of prohibited and security-sensitive goods through Nigeria’s ports.
Cannabis seized in three containers
According to the NCS, three 40-foot containers were intercepted with a combined 15,245 parcels of cannabis sativa weighing 7,624kg.
One of the containers, identified as HAMU 3086682, contained 4,777 parcels of cannabis weighing 2,388.5kg.
The same container also contained automobile spare parts, coffee mix, oats and three vehicles.
Another container, FANU 1933352, was found to contain 8,287 parcels of cannabis weighing 4,145kg, in addition to three vehicles.
The third narcotics container, MSKU 3941778, contained 2,181 parcels of cannabis weighing 1,090.5kg.
Customs said the container also contained foreign parboiled rice, automobile spare parts, lithium batteries, a PV combiner box, turmeric and fish products.
169,998 bottles of codeine intercepted
The service also intercepted a separate 40-foot container, TCKU 7653306, containing 1,700 cartons of codeine syrup.
The cartons contained a total of 169,998 bottles of codeine syrup, which Customs said had been concealed beneath household items.
Adeniyi described the scale of the codeine interception as particularly disturbing, given the potential consequences of the illicit distribution and abuse of controlled substances.
He said a single container of such magnitude could supply the illicit market for a considerable period.
The Comptroller-General noted that the abuse of substances such as codeine remained a national concern because of its links to violent behaviour, family disruption and the loss of productive lives.
He said the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023 mandates the service to prevent prohibited and uncontrolled goods from entering the country.
Customs intercepts 108 drones
The Apapa Area Command also displayed 108 high-definition dual-camera drones recovered from another intercepted container.
Adeniyi acknowledged that drones have legitimate applications but warned that they could pose security risks when imported without the necessary approvals and documentation.
According to him, equipment capable of surveillance, reconnaissance and other security-related applications requires appropriate regulatory clearance.
“Restricted and security sensitive equipment requires the appropriate security approvals, end-user certificates and documentation before clearance,” he said.
The Customs chief warned importers that consignments arriving without the required documentation would be detained.
“Our ports will not be a route through which capability reaches those who are working against the security of this country,” Adeniyi said.
Five containers of expired products seized
The Customs Service also reported the interception of five containers containing expired products.
Among the items were tomato ketchup, antiseptic liquid, vaginal tablets and disposable nappies.
The service said the products posed potential health risks to consumers because they had expired before being imported into the country.
Adeniyi said consumers, particularly children and women, might not be able to identify such risks when expired products enter the market without adequate regulatory controls.
He added that some of the seized items had been handed over to relevant government agencies for further action.
1,282 bales of used clothes intercepted
The enforcement operation also led to the interception of 1,282 bales of used clothing across three containers.
Customs identified the containers as MRKU 6185100, containing 425 bales; MRKU 5535966, containing 435 bales; and SEKU 4685299, containing 422 bales.
Other items seized during the operation included assorted automobile spare parts and other undeclared or restricted goods.
Customs warns importers against prohibited trade
While announcing the seizures, Adeniyi stressed that the enforcement activities were not intended to hinder legitimate trade.
He urged businesses engaged in lawful importation to continue their activities, saying the service remained committed to facilitating legitimate cargo while strengthening its risk-based enforcement operations.
“Scrutiny will fall on the consignments, transactions and operators that present identifiable risk,” he said.
Adeniyi warned importers involved in false declarations, concealment, undervaluation or the importation of prohibited goods that the Customs Service would continue to target such practices.
“No port, border station or logistics channel will be permitted to serve as a safe haven,” he said.
The Comptroller-General commended officers of the Apapa Area Command for the seizures and acknowledged the cooperation of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and international partners.
The latest seizures add to the Customs Service’s ongoing enforcement efforts at Nigeria’s ports, particularly against the smuggling of prohibited goods, controlled substances and consignments considered capable of posing risks to national security and public health.
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