NDLEA, Customs Intercept 1.81 Tonnes of Suspected Cannabis in Lagos

Operatives of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) have seized 1.81 tonnes of Cannabis Sativa (popularly known as Canadian Loud) and expired pharmaceutical products with a combined duty paid value of ₦12.7 billion at the Apapa Port in Lagos.

The seizure was conducted by the Apapa Command of the service in conjunction with operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency attached to the port.

The command’s spokesperson, Isah Sulaiman, was quoted to have disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday.

The Customs Area Controller of the Apapa Command, Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba, said the operation was based on credible intelligence and the use of advanced risk assessment and cargo profiling tools by Customs officers.

Oshoba said officers of the command, in collaboration with the operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), intercepted a 40-foot container with the marking CAAU7569127 which was discovered to contain a large quantity of the illicit substance.

He said Canadian Loud is a very potent strain of marijuana that is smuggled into the country illegally, adding that the seized consignment was worth several billion naira on the black market.

He said the interception was a demonstration of the command’s renewed commitment to preventing the entry of prohibited and dangerous substances into the country through the nation’s seaports.

The operation was enabled through intelligence gathering, modern scanning technology and detailed cargo profiling, which helped officers identify the suspicious container for physical examination, he said.

In a related operation, the command also intercepted two more 40-foot containers loaded with expired pharmaceutical products illegally imported into the country.

Physical examination of the containers showed that the drugs had expired between 2021 and 2023, Oshoba said.

He alleged that the importers were planning to repackage and relabel the expired products to circulate in the Nigerian market.

The comptroller warned that if such products were allowed into the market, they would pose serious health risks to unsuspecting members of the public.

“The importers were to repack and relabel the expired products for circulation in the Nigerian market,” he said.

The command’s valuation officers estimated the combined duty-paid value of the seized cannabis and expired pharmaceutical products at ₦12.7 billion, Oshoba said.

The Customs boss warned smugglers, importers and their collaborators that the Apapa Command would continue to increase surveillance and enforcement operations to stop the importation of prohibited items through the port.

He said the command would not allow criminal elements to use Apapa Port as a channel to bring in illicit drugs, expired medicines or other dangerous products capable of undermining public health, national security and the economy.

Oshoba also commended the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, and the management of the service for the ongoing training programmes, saying they had improved the operational efficiency of officers.

He said the training and deployment of modern enforcement tools have improved the ability of Customs personnel to detect suspicious cargo and respond in a timely manner to smuggling attempts.

Commendation for NDLEA Collaboration
The Comptroller General of Customs, Hameed Ali, commended the partnership between the Customs Service and the NDLEA saying the collaboration had greatly improved the interception of contraband items at Apapa Port.

He said the joint operation underlined the importance of inter-agency cooperation in tackling drug trafficking and other forms of illegal importation.

Investigations have begun to establish the importers, clearing agents and other persons connected to the seized consignments, Oshoba said.

He said those found culpable would be handed over for possible prosecution according to law.

NCS reiterated its zero tolerance to smuggling and urged genuine importers to strictly comply with existing import rules to avoid sanctions.

The service also warned that any importer, or agent involved in false declaration, concealment or importation of prohibited goods would face the full weight of the law.