LAGOS – The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Apapa Area Command, has intercepted 4,143.5 kilograms of Cannabis Indica with an estimated street value of N26.57 billion, concealed inside a container loaded with imported used vehicles at the Apapa Port.
The seizure was made during a joint examination by Customs officers and operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
In a statement on Tuesday, the Customs Public Relations Officer of the command, Isah Sulaiman, said the interception followed credible intelligence that prompted the Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba, to order a thorough inspection of a 40-foot container (No. FANU1933352).
According to him, the examination uncovered 162 bags containing 8,287 parcels of Cannabis Indica, each weighing 500 grams.
The container also carried three used vehicles—a 2015 Nissan Micra, a 2019 Toyota Corolla S and a 2015 Toyota Corolla.
Sulaiman disclosed that four bags of the illicit drugs were concealed inside the Nissan Micra, while the remaining 158 bags were hidden beneath the container floor and in spaces between the three vehicles.
He added that no narcotics were found inside the two Toyota Corolla vehicles.
Reacting to the seizure, Comptroller Oshoba said the operation underscored the command’s determination to keep prohibited items out of the nation’s ports.
He said the interception was in line with the zero-tolerance policy of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Dr. Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, against smuggling and other forms of illicit trade.
“This seizure once again demonstrates our untiring commitment to ensuring that only lawful trade thrives in Apapa Port. As we intensify investigation into the matter, I want to reiterate that this command has made the port a no-go area for anything forbidden by our laws,” Oshoba said.
The Customs boss assured compliant importers that the command would continue to support legitimate trade while cracking down on smugglers and criminal networks.
“Let me use this opportunity to rebuild the confidence of our compliant traders and assure them once again that they will continue to enjoy the many trade facilitation incentives introduced by the Comptroller-General of Customs,” he added.
He confirmed that the container had been seized in accordance with the provisions of the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023, while investigations into the attempted drug importation continue.
