Apapa Customs Command seizes ₦921m worth of pharmaceuticals, other expired products
The Apapa Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intercepted a large consignment of unregistered pharmaceutical products, including drugs purported to enhance buttocks size, alongside other prohibited items with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N921,021,213.00. This was announced by the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, during a press briefing held at the Apapa Port Command on Wednesday.
Comptroller General Adeniyi stated that the seizures, which occurred between January and April 2025, are a result of intensified surveillance and risk assessment protocols implemented by the Service in response to the increasing sophistication of smuggling tactics.
He highlighted the Service’s commitment to the National Strategic Economic Development Plan and the Executive Order on Port Operations, leading to heightened vigilance across all entry points.
A breakdown of the eleven seizures revealed a disturbing trend in the importation of unregistered and potentially harmful pharmaceutical products. Five containers were found to contain various sexual enhancement drugs, including different brands of Sildenafil Citrate, while another contained “BIG BOOTY TABLETS” marketed as a buttock enlargement product.
These unregistered pharmaceuticals, lacking mandatory NAFDAC registration numbers and certifications, constitute a significant 63.7% of the total seizure value, posing a clear danger to public health.
“These items constitute a clear and present danger to public health, with the potential to cause significant morbidity and mortality if permitted to infiltrate our domestic markets,” the Comptroller General warned.
The seizures also included two 20-foot containers laden with expired margarine products, valued at over N240 million. These expired food items, deemed unsafe for consumption, have already been condemned by a Federal High Court.
Furthermore, Customs officials intercepted controlled equipment, including 113 units of drones and 10 pieces of professional FM transceiver walkie-talkies, all imported without the requisite End-User Certificates from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).
Analysis of the seizure patterns revealed concerning trends, including the strategic misdeclaration of pharmaceutical products as general merchandise or cosmetics to evade regulatory scrutiny. Importers are also diversifying their contraband portfolios, combining pharmaceuticals, expired food items, and controlled technology in single shipments, suggesting the involvement of organized criminal networks.
Comptroller General Adeniyi emphasized the Service’s strong inter-agency collaboration with NAFDAC, NDLEA, and ONSA, operating under established Memoranda of Understanding to enhance enforcement capabilities. He noted that intelligence analysis indicates these contraband items serve as revenue generators for transnational criminal organizations and potential enablers for non-state actors.
He commended the officers and men of the Apapa Port Command for their vigilance and dedication, reiterating the NCS’s unwavering commitment to enforcing import regulations. He urged all stakeholders in the international trade environment to adhere to extant guidelines and called on the public to report any suspicious import activities through confidential channels.
“The Nigeria Customs Service shall maintain an uncompromising stance on the enforcement of import regulations,” the Comptroller General asserted. “We shall deploy all resources at our disposal to ensure that Nigeria’s borders remain secure against the importation of items prejudicial to national security, economic prosperity, and public health.”
