The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has handed over 25 containers laden with unregistered, counterfeit, and prohibited pharmaceutical products to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) at Apapa Port, Lagos. The seized goods, with a Duty Paid Value of over Nine Billion, Two Hundred and Thirty-Five Million Naira (N9,235,402,973.00), represent a significant blow to illicit drug trafficking networks threatening public health and safety.
This handover marks a milestone in the strategic partnership between NCS and NAFDAC, established through a Memorandum of Understanding signed in November 2024, which has strengthened inter-agency collaboration, intelligence sharing, and joint enforcement operations across Nigeria’s borders.
The seized containers include a wide range of dangerous and illegal products such as counterfeit sexual enhancement drugs (REDSUN, HYEGRA), codeine-based cough syrups (CSC brands), antibiotic injections (oxytetracycline, artesunate), pain relief medications (diclofenac sodium, paracetamol), skin lightening creams (GBOGBONISE, SKIN CHEMIST), hip and breast enlargement products, tablets with fake NAFDAC registration numbers, expired food products, veterinary drugs, antimalarials, and consumer goods.
The Comptroller-General of Customs emphasized the critical role of intelligence-led operations and praised the professionalism of Customs operatives at Apapa Port, whose vigilance led to the successful interdiction of these complex consignments. He also commended the Director-General of NAFDAC for her unwavering support and timely intelligence that has been pivotal in disrupting these criminal enterprises.
The Nigeria Customs Service, in partnership with NAFDAC and other regulatory agencies such as the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), remains resolute in its commitment to protecting Nigerians from the dangers posed by illicit pharmaceutical products. Joint operations coordinated by the Office of the National Security Adviser have already resulted in the seizure of over 200 containers of unregistered drugs, underscoring the scale of the threat.
The NCS warns all stakeholders in the international trade environment that it will continue to enforce regulatory compliance rigorously. Any complicity by haulage operators, bonded terminal owners, or trade facilitators in smuggling activities will attract severe legal consequences.
This handover ceremony reaffirms the government’s dedication to safeguarding public health and national security through sustained inter-agency cooperation, intelligence sharing, and decisive enforcement actions.