Odita Sunday 
Apapa Customs Intercepts 1.8 Tonnes of ‘Canadian Loud’, Seizes Expired Drugs Worth ₦12.8bn
By Odita Sunday
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Apapa Area Command, has intercepted 1.81 tonnes of Cannabis Sativa, popularly known as “Canadian Loud,” alongside two containers of expired pharmaceutical products with a combined Duty Paid Value (DPV) of over ₦12.78 billion.
The seizures, made through intelligence-led operations in collaboration with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), underscore the Command’s commitment to combating transnational crime, protecting public health and safeguarding Nigeria’s economy.
According to a statement issued on Tuesday by the Public Relations Officer of the Command, Chief Superintendent of Customs Isah Sulaiman, officers acting on credible intelligence intercepted a 40-foot container numbered CAAU7569127 on Monday, June 15, 2026.
The container was found to contain 3,639 sachets of Cannabis Sativa, each weighing 500 grams, bringing the total weight to approximately 1,819 kilograms.
Preliminary field tests reportedly confirmed the substance as Cannabis Sativa.
The statement disclosed that the illicit drugs were carefully concealed inside a black Toyota vehicle and a Toyota Sienna, alongside several bags and drums loaded within the container.
The Command noted that the interception demonstrated its enhanced capacity to detect and dismantle sophisticated smuggling networks exploiting Nigeria’s maritime gateways.
In a related operation, Customs officers intercepted two additional 40-foot containers loaded with expired pharmaceutical products allegedly intended for relabelling and circulation in the Nigerian market.
Container PCIU8771576 contained expired products including Cidoxilin Capsules, Cynamine Vitamin B12 Injection and Becoline B-Complex Injection.
Similarly, container MRKU4961275 was found to contain expired medical items such as Oxytocin Injection, Mexclor Eye Drops, Avomex Tablets, Carbamazepine Tablets, Silymarin Tablets, Nystatin Tablets and Hyoscine Butylbromide Tablets.
According to the Command, the pharmaceutical products had expiry dates ranging from 2021 to 2023.
The statement emphasized that the seizures prevented potentially harmful medications from reaching hospitals, pharmacies and households across Nigeria.
Commenting on the development, the Customs Area Controller (CAC), Apapa Area Command, Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba, warned smugglers and illicit importers 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: “Anyone still contemplating these criminal acts should immediately desist, because the consequences will be swift, decisive and uncompromising. Apapa Port will not be used as a conduit for economic sabotage and public health endangerment.”
The Customs boss further disclosed that Apapa Port and all Customs-controlled areas remain under constant surveillance.
He reassured Nigerians of the Command’s commitment to intensifying intelligence-driven operations to secure legitimate trade and uphold national security.
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