Odita Sunday 
By Odita Sunday
Officers of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) at the Apapa Area Command have intercepted a massive consignment of codeine syrup worth ₦3.398 billion concealed in containers at Apapa Port, in what officials describe as a major crackdown on drug smuggling through Nigeria’s busiest seaport.
The seizure came barely five days after the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, warned that the port would no longer serve as a safe haven for smugglers and criminal syndicates hiding behind legitimate trade documentation.
According to the Apapa Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, the containers were intercepted on Sunday, March 15, 2026, during a joint operation with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
The Command disclosed that two containers were found to contain 3,398 cartons equivalent to 339,800 bottles of codeine-based cough syrup, which had been carefully concealed inside shipments of household utensils.
Customs officials said the seized items carry a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of ₦3.398 billion.
Providing details of the interception, the Command explained that Container No. MRKU 3816476 contained 1,700 cartons (170,000 bottles) of codeine syrup hidden alongside 38 cartons of pearl-plating insulated casserole and bullet insulated hotspots, while Container No. TGBU 5399178 held 1,698 cartons (169,800 bottles) concealed with 36 cartons of pearl-plating casserole.
Both containers, according to Customs, have been formally seized in line with provisions of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023.
Reacting to the development, the Customs Area Controller for Apapa Command, Emmanuel Oshoba, said the operation demonstrates the Command’s commitment to enforcing the directives of the Comptroller-General.
He noted that the seizure, coming shortly after the CGC’s visit and warning to smugglers, shows that the Command remains firmly aligned with the Service’s intelligence-driven enforcement strategy.
“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. We will continue to make Apapa Port extremely hostile to smugglers and drug traffickers,” Oshoba said.
The Customs boss also commended the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency for its strong collaboration in the successful operation.
He reiterated that the Apapa Area Command remains committed to protecting public health, strengthening national security, and facilitating legitimate trade through technology-driven operations and strict enforcement against smuggling.
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