Customs foils N26.57bn drug smuggling bid at Apapa Port

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Apapa Area Command, has foiled an attempt to smuggle 4,143.5 kilograms of cannabis indica with an estimated street value of N26.57 billion through the Apapa Port, in one of the largest drug seizures recorded at the nation’s premier seaport. The illicit consignment was intercepted during a joint examination by officers […]

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Apapa Area Command, has foiled an attempt to smuggle 4,143.5 kilograms of cannabis indica with an estimated street value of N26.57 billion through the Apapa Port, in one of the largest drug seizures recorded at the nation’s premier seaport.

The illicit consignment was intercepted during a joint examination by officers of the Nigeria Customs Service and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) after credible intelligence prompted the Customs Area Controller (CAC), Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba, to order a thorough inspection of a 40-foot container marked FANU1933352.

The examination, conducted on July 10, 2026, revealed that the container, declared to contain three imported used vehicles, was being used to conceal narcotics. The shipment contained a 2015 red Nissan Micra, a 2019 black Toyota Corolla S, and a 2015 grey Toyota Corolla.

A detailed search uncovered 162 bags containing 8,287 parcels of Cannabis Indica, each weighing 500 grams, bringing the total weight of the seizure to 4,143.5 kilograms.

Investigators found four bags hidden inside the Nissan Micra, while the remaining 158 bags were concealed beneath the container floor and in the spaces between the three vehicles. No illicit substances were found inside the two Toyota Corolla vehicles.

Addressing journalists, Comptroller Oshoba described the seizure as a major breakthrough in the fight against organised drug trafficking, saying the Command would continue to deny criminal syndicates access to Nigeria’s ports.

He said the interception was in line with the zero-tolerance directive of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Dr. Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, against the importation of prohibited goods and other forms of illicit trade.

The Customs Area Controller subsequently ordered the seizure of the container in accordance with the provisions of the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023, while investigations have been intensified to identify and apprehend those behind the attempted importation.