Nigeria: Customs Seizes Counterfeit Medicines, Illicit Drugs Worth N53.39 Billion at Apapa Port

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intercepted counterfeit NAFDAC-labelled medicines, illicit drugs, and expired pharmaceutical products with a combined Duty Paid Value (DPV) of ₦53.39 billion at the Apapa Port in Lagos, describing the operation as a major breakthrough in protecting public health and national security.

The seizures followed intelligence gathering, scanning analysis, physical examination, and joint operations between the NCS, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), and other security partners.

According to the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, the intercepted items included more than 6.7 tonnes of Cannabis Sativa (Canadian Loud) concealed inside two 40-foot containers alongside imported vehicles and automobile spare parts. Other seized items included 339,800 bottles of Codeine syrup, expired pharmaceutical products, Piccan Teething Powder, and counterfeit medicines bearing fake NAFDAC registration numbers.

Customs officials also discovered 1,100 packages of CHACOLD Chlorpheniramine Maleate Capsules carrying a fake NAFDAC registration number and a falsified expiry date. Verification confirmed that the product was not registered with NAFDAC.

The Customs Service stated that the counterfeit medicines were seized under the provisions of the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023, and would be handed over to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) for further investigation and regulatory action.

Adeniyi said the significance of the operation extends beyond the financial value of the seizures.

“These seizures represent far more than monetary value. They represent lives protected, families preserved, communities secured, and countless young Nigerians shielded from the devastating consequences of drug abuse and unsafe medicines.”

He added that criminal networks continue to employ sophisticated concealment methods to smuggle prohibited products through legitimate trade channels, but emphasized that the Nigeria Customs Service has strengthened its intelligence, technology, and enforcement capabilities to detect and disrupt such activities.

The seized narcotics will be transferred to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for further investigation and prosecution, while expired pharmaceutical products and counterfeit medicines will be handed over to NAFDAC for regulatory action and safe disposal. The vehicles, spare parts, and other legitimate goods used to conceal the prohibited items will remain in Customs custody pending forfeiture and other enforcement proceedings.

The Chairman of the NDLEA, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd.), represented by Assistant Commander General of Narcotics Ibinabo Archie-Abia, disclosed that the seizure of 6,778.5 kilograms of Cannabis Indica (“Canadian Loud”) was the result of a four-month intelligence-led operation involving the NDLEA, Nigeria Customs Service, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).

According to the NDLEA, the containers were monitored from Canada until their arrival at Apapa Port, leading to their successful interception on June 15 and June 24, 2026. The agency described the operation as a significant milestone in the fight against transnational drug trafficking and reaffirmed its commitment to dismantling organised criminal networks operating within and beyond Nigeria’s borders.

To learn more about anti-counterfeiting activities and seizures in Nigeria, please check out our Anti-counterfeiting and Research Database.