The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has seized 16 containers filled with contraband items — including firearms, ammunition, expired drugs, prohibited food products, counterfeit goods, and illicit substances — worth an estimated ₦10 billion at the Lagos Port Complex, Apapa.
The operation, led by Comptroller General Adewale Adeniyi, uncovered a range of dangerous and illegal imports hidden in shipments declared as legitimate cargo.
One of the most alarming discoveries was a 40-foot container that concealed two pump-action rifles, 25 cartridges, a Smith & Wesson pistol with 55 rounds of ammunition, and 202 cans of Colorado Loud, a potent Canadian strain of cannabis.
The haul of cannabis weighed 101 kilograms in total and was traced to a consignee identified as Babatunde Ogidiolu of Lagos.
Customs officials revealed that some containers initially cleared during routine inspection were later flagged after intelligence reports suggested they contained banned goods.
A comprehensive re-examination exposed more contraband, including seven containers of expired medicines, three containers of expired margarine, and three containers of second-hand clothing — all prohibited under Nigerian import laws.
Further inspections over the weekend led to the seizure of multiple containers loaded with 1,290 sacks each of frozen poultry products, in violation of the country’s ban on such imports.
Another container was found to contain 305 cartons of counterfeit toothpaste, disguised with beads and traditional garments, in what was described as a case of intellectual property theft and violation of NAFDAC registration requirements.
Two more containers were intercepted carrying expired chest and lung tablets without regulatory approval, while intelligence-led operations traced and seized two additional 40-foot containers of codeine syrup, linked to earlier confiscated shipments.
The NCS stated that it has intensified the use of advanced scanning systems, surveillance tools, and inter-agency intelligence sharing to prevent the smuggling of dangerous and illegal goods into the country.
The agency said these efforts reflect a broader strategy to balance trade facilitation with national security and consumer safety.
