The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Apapa Area Command, has confiscated expired pharmaceutical products valued at more than ₦12.7 billion and approximately 1.8 tonnes of Cannabis Sativa in separate operations conducted in Lagos.

According to the Command, the seizures were made through intelligence-driven enforcement efforts carried out in collaboration with security and regulatory agencies, including the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

The development was disclosed in a statement issued by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Chief Superintendent of Customs, Isah Sulaiman, who attributed the success to enhanced intelligence gathering and improved risk assessment mechanisms.

One of the operations led to the interception of a 40-foot container identified as CAAU7569127, which concealed a large quantity of Cannabis Sativa, popularly referred to as “Canadian Loud.”

Customs officers recovered 3,639 sachets of the illicit substance, with each sachet weighing about 500 grams. The total weight of the seizure was estimated at 1,819 kilograms, equivalent to roughly 1.81 tonnes.

The narcotics were reportedly hidden inside a Toyota Nissan vehicle, a Toyota Sienna, as well as bags and drums packed within the container. Preliminary tests confirmed the substance as Cannabis Sativa.

In a separate operation, officers intercepted two 40-foot containers loaded with expired pharmaceutical products allegedly intended for relabelling and illegal circulation within the country.

The Command placed the Duty Paid Value (DPV) of the seized drugs at ₦12.78 billion, describing the importation attempt as a major threat to public health and an act of economic sabotage.

Reacting to the seizures, the Area Controller, Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba, warned individuals involved in smuggling, drug trafficking and illegal importation activities to abandon such practices.

He stated that the Service possesses the intelligence capabilities, technological tools and determination needed to track and apprehend offenders, stressing that anyone involved in such crimes would face severe consequences.

Oshoba further assured that surveillance across Apapa Port and other Customs-controlled zones remains active, noting that enforcement actions would continue to be intelligence-based while facilitating legitimate trade activities.

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