The Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, Apapa Area Command, has intercepted 1.8 tonnes of Cannabis Sativa and foiled an attempt to illegally distribute expired pharmaceutical products into the Nigerian market.
This was disclosed in a statement issued to newsmen by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Chief Superintendent of Customs, CSC, Isah Sulaiman.
Sulaiman said the operations were intelligence-driven and coordinated with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, and other regulatory bodies.
In one of the seizures, officers intercepted a 40-foot container, CAAU7569127, containing 3,639 sachets of Cannabis Sativa, popularly called “Canadian Loud.”
Each sachet weighed 500 grams, giving a total estimated weight of 1,819 kilograms, 1.81 tonnes. Preliminary field tests confirmed the substance as Cannabis Sativa.
The Command said the drugs were concealed inside a black Toyota vehicle, a Toyota Sienna, as well as in bags and drums packed inside the container.
In a related operation, the Command also intercepted two 40-foot containers loaded with expired pharmaceutical products allegedly meant for illegal relabelling and reintroduction into circulation.
The Command stated that the Duty Paid Value, DPV, of the expired pharmaceuticals is ₦12,784,479,341.72. It described the attempted importation as economic sabotage and a threat to public health.
Speaking on the seizures, Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba warned smugglers to desist from criminal activities.
“Unpatriotic importers and their collaborators who deliberately engage in smuggling, drug trafficking and the importation of expired pharmaceuticals are enemies of Nigeria’s progress. We have the intelligence, the technology and the resolve to identify and apprehend them,” Oshoba said.
He added that Apapa Port and all Customs-controlled areas remain under constant surveillance, and that enforcement operations will continue to be intelligence-driven while ensuring legitimate trade is not hindered.
Apapa Customs Intercepts 1.8 Tonnes Of Cannabis, Foils Distribution Of Expired Pharmaceuticals
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