Customs Transfers 25 Seized Containers Of Banned Pharmaceuticals To NAFDAC In Apapa
Customs Transfers 25 Seized Containers Of Banned Pharmaceuticals To NAFDAC In Apapa
…CGC vows crackdown on bounded terminals, criminal networks exploiting Nigeria’s trade corridors
……recovers N1,5bn from from bounded terminal,expects N1,6bn from another
By Frank Odinukaeze
In a major enforcement action signaling deepening interagency cooperation, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has officially handed over 25 containers laden with prohibited and unregistered pharmaceutical products to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) at the Apapa Port.
The Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, who presided over the handover ceremony, described the seizures as a “tangible result of the synergy between NCS and NAFDAC,” made possible through sustained intelligence-sharing, strategic operations, and the implementation of the agencies’ Memorandum of Understanding signed in November 2014.
According to the CGC, the intercepted containers—which include 21 40-foot containers and 4 20-foot containers—had a combined Duty Paid Value (DPV) of ₦9.2 billion and contained a wide range of illicit products including codeine-based syrups, unregistered sexual enhancement drugs, fake antibiotics, expired food items, and cosmetic products bearing falsified NAFDAC numbers.
“These dangerous products pose imminent threats to public health and safety,” CG Adeniyi stated. “They reflect disturbing trends—especially among the younger generation—of widespread abuse and consumption of unregulated pharmaceuticals, some of which include skin lightening creams, kidney and breast enhancement drugs, and veterinary medications.”
The CGC commended the Apapa Area Command for its “vigilance, professionalism, and dedication,” noting that the command’s intelligence-led enforcement efforts have significantly disrupted the operations of criminal syndicates attempting to use Nigeria’s ports as gateways for harmful products.
He also revealed that, under the coordination of the Office of the National Security Adviser, joint enforcement efforts by NCS, NAFDAC, and the NDLEA had led to the seizure of over 200 containers, with pharmaceutical-related items accounting for 63% of total seizure values. Several of these have since been destroyed in Lagos and Port Harcourt.
Adeniyi emphasized that NCS would not hesitate to prosecute any party found complicit in such illegal activities. “Economic operators—including bonded terminal owners, transport companies, and haulage operators—who facilitate or are complicit in smuggling prohibited items will face the full wrath of the law,” he warned.
He further declared that the NCS’s detection and interception capabilities had been strengthened through technology and intelligence networks, ensuring that attempts to smuggle dangerous goods—regardless of concealment method—would be thwarted.
“The handover we are witnessing today is not just symbolic,” the CGC concluded. “It represents our unwavering resolve to protect the lives of Nigerians and preserve the integrity of our borders.”
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intensified its clampdown on recalcitrant bonded terminals across the country, recovering ₦1.5 billion from one defaulting facility, with another ₦1.6 billion expected.
This was disclosed by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, during the official handover of 25 seized containers of unregistered and unwholesome pharmaceutical products to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) at the Apapa Command Enforcement Unit on Friday.
The CGC expressed strong disapproval over the stemming of pharmaceutical imports to bonded terminals, a practice he said had been exploited by unscrupulous importers and their collaborators to subvert regulatory processes and endanger public health.
“Going forward, stemming of pharmaceutical products to bonded terminals will no longer be permitted,” Adeniyi declared. “Only four ports have been designated for the importation of pharmaceuticals: Onne Port, Apapa Port, PTML, and the Airport. This is part of a deliberate move to tighten control over sensitive imports.”
The Customs boss noted that a comprehensive review of bonded terminal operations is currently underway. This includes an audit of operational licences, fees, and adherence to the advance ruling system. He hinted that terminals found wanting in compliance will face sanctions, including revocation of their operational licences.
“In the course of our review, we recovered ₦1.5 billion from one of the bonded terminals, and we are expecting another ₦1.6 billion. Let me assure you that any bonded terminal or operator found to be complicit will face the full weight of the law,” Adeniyi said.
He warned haulage operators, terminal owners, and trade facilitators against participating in illegal import activities, stressing that Customs’ enhanced intelligence and technological surveillance capabilities would continue to expose malpractices.
“Our intelligence network and technological capabilities have been significantly enhanced to detect and intercept prohibited items, regardless of concealment methods or documentation subterfuge,” he said
The handover ceremony, which drew representatives from NAFDAC and other regulatory agencies, also underscored the deepening collaboration between Customs and sister agencies in combating the inflow of dangerous and unregulated drugs into the country.
Adeniyi reaffirmed the Service’s commitment to transparency, compliance enforcement, and the protection of Nigeria’s economic and public health interests.
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