The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intercepted 16 containers loaded with prohibited items — including firearms, ammunition, expired pharmaceuticals, counterfeit goods, and banned food products — valued at more than ₦10 billion.
Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, announced the seizures on Monday while parading the containers before journalists at the Apapa Port, Lagos.
“These goods violate our laws and threaten our collective peace and security,” Adeniyi said.
Drugs Concealed With Weapons
Acting on intelligence, customs officers and operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) jointly examined a 40-foot container with registration number MRSU6407089.
Although initially cleared, a secondary inspection uncovered 202 cans of Canadian “Colorado loud” cannabis, each weighing 500 grams — totalling 101 kilograms.
Further scanning revealed a cache of arms and ammunition hidden in the same shipment, including:
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Two pump-action rifles
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25 cartridges
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One Smith & Wesson pistol with 55 rounds of ammunition and a blank round
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Several weapons accessories
Expired Drugs, Banned Food and Counterfeits
Other intercepted goods included:
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Seven containers of expired and prohibited medicines
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Three containers of expired food items, particularly margarine
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Three containers of banned used clothing
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Two containers of codeine-based syrup linked to earlier seizures
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Two separate 40-foot containers, each carrying 1,290 sacks of frozen poultry products
Adeniyi also disclosed a case involving 305 cartons of counterfeit toothpaste concealed among beads and a Jalabiya dress. The products infringed on a Nigerian company’s trademark and were not registered with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC). Two additional containers of expired chest and lung tablets without NAFDAC numbers were seized.
Arrests and Ongoing Investigations
Five suspects have been arrested in connection with the seizures. Three have already been charged, arraigned, and remanded at Ikoyi Prisons pending trial next month.
Adeniyi said intelligence is helping investigators establish links between the latest seizures and previous importations. He pledged to work with both local and foreign customs administrations to dismantle smuggling networks.
“We will ensure Nigeria does not become a dumping ground,” he vowed.
