Joyce Mmereole Okoli
Barely five days after the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, declared that the Apapa Port was no longer a playground for smugglers, officers of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Apapa Area Command have delivered a major blow to drug traffickers with the interception of ₦3.398 billion worth of Codeine-containing syrup concealed in imported containers.
The breakthrough operation, carried out on Sunday, 15 March 2026, was executed in collaboration with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the nation’s busiest seaport in Lagos.
During the intelligence-driven inspection, officers uncovered two containers packed with 3,398 cartons (339,800 bottles) of Codeine-containing syrup, cleverly hidden inside shipments of household utensils in a desperate attempt to evade detection.
The seized items have a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of ₦3,398,000,000.
A breakdown of the seizures shows that Container No. MRKU 3816476 contained 1,700 cartons (170,000 bottles) of Codeine syrup concealed alongside 38 cartons of pearl-plated insulated casserole/5′ Bullet insulated hotspot, while Container No. TGBU 5399178 held 1,698 cartons (169,800 bottles) of the illicit substance hidden within 36 cartons of pearl-plated casserole.
Both containers have been converted to seizures in accordance with the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023 (as amended).
Speaking on the latest development, the Customs Area Controller of the Command, Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba, described the interception as a clear signal that Apapa Port is now a hostile environment for smugglers and drug traffickers.
“This seizure, coming barely five days after the CGC’s visit and his strong warning to criminal elements, is a direct demonstration of our resolve. We remain firmly committed to the Service’s intelligence-driven enforcement strategy and will continue to ensure that Apapa Port is sealed off to smugglers hiding under the cover of legitimate trade,” he said.
Comptroller Oshoba also commended the NDLEA for its strong operational partnership, noting that inter-agency collaboration remains critical in combating drug trafficking and other transnational crimes.
He reaffirmed that the Apapa Area Command remains fully committed to protecting public health, safeguarding national security, and facilitating legitimate trade, in line with the CGC’s policy direction anchored on technology-driven enforcement and zero tolerance for smuggling.