Apapa Customs intercepts N3.398bn codeine shipment hidden in utensils

By Afiong Edemumoh 

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Apapa Area Command, has intercepted 3,398 cartons containing 339,800 bottles of codeine syrup concealed in imported household utensils at Apapa Port, with the seizure valued at N3.398 billion.

The interception, carried out on Sunday, March 15, 2026, followed a joint operation between the Customs command and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

The development was disclosed in a statement issued by the command’s spokesperson, Isah Sulaiman, who said the operation highlights increasing inter-agency collaboration aimed at strengthening surveillance and enforcement at the port.

He noted that the seizure occurred barely five days after the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, declared that Apapa Port would no longer serve as a haven for smugglers operating under the cover of legitimate trade documentation.

According to the command, the illicit cargo was smuggled into the country through two 40-foot containers and concealed with kitchenware items in an attempt to evade Customs checks.

The first container, MRKU 3816476, was found to contain 1,700 cartons (170,000 bottles) of codeine-containing syrup hidden among 38 cartons of pearl-plating insulated casserole and five bullet insulated hotspots.

The second container, TGBU 5399178, contained 1,698 cartons (169,800 bottles) of the same controlled substance hidden within 36 cartons of pearl-plating casserole.

The Command said the two containers have now been formally converted to seizure in line with the provisions of the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023 (as amended).

Speaking on the latest enforcement breakthrough, the Customs Area Controller of the Apapa Command, Emmanuel Oshoba, said the interception reflects the Command’s alignment with the enforcement directives issued by the Comptroller-General during his recent visit.

He said: “This fresh seizure, coming just Five (5) 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.”

The Apapa Command also credited the success of the operation to the strong partnership between Customs and the anti-narcotics agency.

Oshoba commended the NDLEA for what he described as its “seamless collaboration and unwavering support” during the interception.

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He reiterated that the Command remains committed to protecting public health and ensuring the integrity of Nigeria’s maritime trade gateway.

According to him, the Command will continue to facilitate legitimate trade while deploying intelligence-driven enforcement and technology-backed operations to clamp down on smuggling networks operating through the port.