The Apapa area command of the Nigeria Customs Service has intercepted 1.81 tonnes of cannabis sativa, also called Canadian loud, alongside expired drugs worth N12.7 billion.

The major seizure occurred at Apapa Port in Lagos on Monday, according to an official statement by the command’s spokesman, Isah Sulaiman, on Tuesday, June 16, 2026.

Emmanuel Oshoba, customs area controller for Apapa command, confirmed the interception and detailed how the operation was executed through strong inter-agency collaboration and intelligence sharing.

Mr Oshoba stated that the successful operation was carried out in close collaboration with operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, stationed at the port.

He attributed the breakthrough to credible acting on actionable intelligence and the strategic deployment of advanced risk assessment tools by customs officers at the command.

He said officers of the command, working jointly with NDLEA, successfully intercepted one 40ft container numbered CAAU7569127 that was conveying a large consignment of the illicit cannabis sativa.

Mr Oshoba said that the substance, popularly known as Canadian loud, was a highly potent strain of marijuana illegally imported into Nigeria and valued at several billion on street markets.

He said that alongside the cannabis sativa, officers discovered large quantities of expired pharmaceutical products that were concealed in containers to evade detection by authorities.

He stated that in a related development, the command intercepted two 40ft containers loaded with expired pharmaceutical products that were illegally imported into Nigeria, adding that a physical examination revealed the drugs had expired in 2021, 2022, and 2023.

Mr Oshoba said that importers planned to relabel the expired pharmaceuticals and reintroduce them into the Nigerian market, adding that the scheme posed serious health risks to unsuspecting consumers nationwide if the dangerous products were to circulate.

He combined the duty-paid value of both the intercepted Canadian Loud and the expired drugs, which was estimated at N12.7 billion by Customs valuation officers.

Mr Oshoba warned importers and their collaborators that the Apapa Command remains vigilant and will continue to frustrate attempts to smuggle contraband through the port.

He commended the support of the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, and his management, for engaging officers in a continuous training programme, which he said has been yielding positive results in their operations.

Mr Oshoba reiterated the command’s commitment to national security, public health, and economic protection by preventing harmful substances from entering Nigerian markets and communities.

The comptroller praised the synergy between customs and NDLEA, noting that joint operations significantly improved detection rates of prohibited items at Apapa Port.

According to him, advanced scanning technology and profiling systems play a critical role in flagging the suspicious container for physical examination by enforcement teams.

Investigations are currently ongoing to identify the importers, clearing agents, and other accomplices linked to the seized container for prosecution under existing laws.

The NCS reaffirmed its zero-tolerance stance on smuggling, urging legitimate traders to comply with import regulations to avoid severe sanctions.

(NAN)