Apapa Customs Intercepts ₦3.398bn Worth of Codeine Syrup in Fresh Anti-Smuggling Operation
Apapa Customs Intercepts ₦3.398bn Worth of Codeine Syrup in Fresh Anti-Smuggling Operation
By Silas Onuoha
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Apapa Area Command, has recorded another major breakthrough in its ongoing anti-smuggling operations with the interception of two containers laden with codeine syrup worth ₦3.398 billion at the Apapa Port. The seizure, carried out in collaboration with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), underscores the renewed determination of the Command to dismantle drug trafficking networks exploiting Nigeria’s seaports.
The interception comes barely five days after the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, visited the port and issued a strong warning that Apapa Port would no longer serve as a safe haven for smugglers and criminal syndicates hiding behind legitimate trade documentation.
In a statement issued on Monday by the Apapa Command Public Relations Officer, CSC Isah Sulaiman, the Command disclosed that the containers were intercepted during a targeted operation conducted on Sunday, 15 March 2026.
According to the statement, the two containers were found to contain a total of 3,398 cartons comprising 339,800 bottles of codeine-containing syrup (CSP Codeine) cleverly concealed inside consignments of household
utensils.
“The Duty Paid Value (DPV) of the seized items stands at Three Billion, Three Hundred and Ninety-Eight Million Naira (₦3,398,000,000.00),” the statement said.
Further details revealed that Container No. MRKU 3816476 contained 1,700 cartons (170,000 bottles) of the codeine syrup concealed alongside 38 cartons of pearl-plating insulated casserole and 5′ Bullet Insulated Hotspot, while Container No. TGBU 5399178 contained 1,698 cartons (169,800 bottles) of the illicit substance hidden among 36 cartons of pearl-plating casserole.
The Command confirmed that both containers have been officially converted to seizures in accordance with the provisions of the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023 (as amended).
Speaking on the development, the Customs Area Controller (CAC) of the Apapa Area Command, Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba, described the interception as a clear demonstration of the Command’s resolve to enforce the directives and vision of the Comptroller-General of Customs.
“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 to the Command. 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,” Oshoba stated.
He further commended the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for its seamless collaboration and operational support, which he said was instrumental to the success of the operation.
The Customs Area Controller reaffirmed that the Apapa Area Command remains committed to protecting public health, safeguarding national security and ensuring that only legitimate trade passes through the nation’s busiest seaport.
He added that the Command will continue to deploy intelligence-driven enforcement and technology-backed monitoring systems in line with the Comptroller-General’s renewed agenda of zero tolerance for smuggling and other illicit activities within the port environment.
