By Seun Ibiyemi
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Apapa Area Command, in collaboration with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has intercepted two containers loaded with thousands of cartons of codeine-containing syrup concealed in household utensils at Apapa Port.
The seizure came barely five days after the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, visited the port and declared that it would no longer serve as a safe haven for smugglers and criminal syndicates hiding behind legitimate trade documentation.
According to the command, the containers were intercepted during a joint operation on March 15, 2026, at the Apapa Port in Lagos.
The operation uncovered a total of 3,398 cartons containing 339,800 bottles of Codeine-containing Syrup (CSP Codeine), which were carefully concealed in consignments of household utensils to evade detection.
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The Customs said the seizures have a cumulative Duty Paid Value (DPV) of ₦3.398 billion.
Further details revealed that container number MRKU 3816476 contained 1,700 cartons, equivalent to 170,000 bottles of codeine syrup, concealed alongside 38 cartons of pearl plating insulated casserole and bullet insulated hotspot items.
Similarly, container number TGBU 5399178 was found to contain 1,698 cartons, or 169,800 bottles, of the illicit syrup hidden among 36 cartons of pearl plating casserole.
The command said both containers had been officially seized in line with provisions of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023.
Speaking on the interception, the Customs Area Controller of the Apapa Command, Emmanuel Oshoba, said the operation demonstrated the command’s commitment to the directives and vision of the Comptroller-General.
“This fresh seizure, coming just five days after the CGC’s visit and strong warning to criminal elements, is a direct response to his charge on us. We are fully aligned with the Service’s intelligence-led enforcement strategy and will continue to make Apapa Port extremely hostile to smugglers and drug traffickers,” Oshoba said.
He commended the NDLEA for its seamless collaboration and support in the successful operation.
Oshoba reaffirmed that the Apapa Area Command remained resolute in protecting public health, safeguarding national security and facilitating legitimate trade through technology-driven operations and zero tolerance for smuggling activities.
