The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intercepted a total of eleven containers laden with prohibited and unregistered pharmaceutical products, expired food items, and unauthorized technology equipment at the Apapa Port, Lagos.
The Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, disclosed this on Tuesday during a press briefing held at the Apapa Area Command, where he revealed that the seizures were made between January and April 2025.
He said the seizures, made in line with the provisions of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023, had a cumulative Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N921,021,213.
According to him, the seizures comprised five 40-foot containers, two 20-foot containers, and four other cases of loosely concealed contraband, mostly unregistered pharmaceutical products which account for over 63 percent of the total seizure value.
“These items pose a clear and present danger to public health, with the potential to cause significant morbidity and mortality if permitted to infiltrate our domestic markets,” the CGC said.
Adeniyi gave a breakdown of the intercepted containers, listing items such as REDSUN Sildenafil Citrate Oral Jelly, Rocket Sildenafil Tablets, Dr. ICO Herbal Inhaler, and various unapproved creams falsely declared as cosmetics or general merchandise.
He noted that expired food items such as margarine products, as well as 113 drones and communication equipment without End-User Certificates, were also seized.
Adeniyi warned that these seizures point to evolving smuggling patterns, including a surge in the importation of unregulated sexual enhancement drugs, misdeclaration of pharmaceuticals as harmless goods, and attempts to smuggle in technology with potential security implications.
“The inclusion of communication devices and drones without proper documentation suggests that some of these imports may serve purposes beyond commercial or recreational use,” he said.
He also emphasized that the seizures were made possible through strategic partnerships with relevant agencies including NAFDAC, NDLEA, and the Office of the National Security Adviser.
“These formal collaborations, under established Memoranda of Understanding, have demonstrably enhanced our enforcement capabilities,” Adeniyi stated.
He added that the seizures must be viewed in the context of broader enforcement statistics, revealing that in Q1 2025, the Service recorded 22 narcotics interceptions with a DPV of N730.7 million, a 34.6 percent increase from the previous year.
The Customs boss commended officers and men of the Apapa Port Command for their vigilance and professionalism, urging continued dedication to safeguarding the nation’s borders and public health.