Customs, NDLEA Seize ₦3.4bn Codeine Syrup Concealed in Utensils at Apapa Port
Kathy Kyari
Barely five days after the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, warned smugglers to stay away from Apapa Port, officers of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Apapa Area Command, in collaboration with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), have intercepted two containers laden with thousands of cartons of codeine syrup with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of ₦3.398 billion.
The seizure, which took place on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Apapa Port in Lagos, involved two containers containing a total of 3,398 cartons, equivalent to 339,800 bottles, of Codeine-containing Syrup (CSP Codeine) carefully concealed inside household utensils.
According to a statement issued by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, CSC Suleiman Isah, the interception followed a swift joint operation by the NCS Apapa Area Command and NDLEA operatives.
Customs officials discovered that Container No. MRKU 3816476 contained 1,700 cartons (170,000 bottles) of CSP Codeine concealed with 38 cartons of pearl plating insulated casserole and 5’ Bullet Insulated Hotspot utensils.
Similarly, Container No. TGBU 5399178 was found to contain 1,698 cartons (169,800 bottles) of CSP Codeine concealed with 36 cartons of pearl plating casserole.
The statement noted that the cumulative Duty Paid Value of the seizures amounts to Three Billion, Three Hundred and Ninety-Eight Million Naira (₦3,398,000,000.00).
Both containers have since been converted to seizure in accordance with the provisions of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023, as amended.
Speaking on the development, the Apapa Customs Area Controller (CAC), Emmanuel Oshoba, said the seizure demonstrates the Command’s commitment to the directives and vision of the Comptroller-General of Customs.
“This fresh seizure, coming just Five (5) days after the CGC’s visit and strong warning to criminal elements, is a direct response to his charge on us. 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,” he stated.
Oshoba also commended the NDLEA for its cooperation in the operation. He further emphasized that the Apapa Area Command remains committed to protecting public health, safeguarding national security and facilitating legitimate trade in line with the CGC’s renewed emphasis on technology-driven operations and zero tolerance for smuggling activities.
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