In an apparent demonstration that its officers and men meant business and will not spare anyone that violates the rules governing imports and exports of goods as outlined in the Import Prohibition List (IPL) and Export Prohibition List (EPL), the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Apapa Area Command has seized N3.3 billion worth codeine syrup.
The seizure is coming barely five days after the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Dr. Bashir Adewale Adeniyi visited Apapa Port and declared that Nigeria’s premier port is no longer a playground for smugglers or criminal syndicates hiding behind legitimate trade documentation.
Not a few stakeholders in the maritime industry and beyond have opined that the seizure is another significant breakthrough in the NCS fight against smugglers violating the provisions of the IPL and EPL.
NCS, Apapa Area Command in a statement made available to Maritime Bits revealed that in a swift follow-up operation on Sunday, 15 March 2026, the command, in joint collaboration with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), intercepted and seized two containers containing a total of 3,398 cartons (339,800 bottles) of codeine-containing syrup (CSP Codeine) carefully concealed in household utensils at the Apapa Port.
According to the statement which was signed by its Public Relations Officer (PRO), Mr. Isah Sulaiman, a Chief Superintendent of Customs (CSC), cumulatively, the seizures have a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of ₦3,398,000,000. The details of the seizures are a container number MRKU 3816476 found to contain 1,700 cartons (170,000 bottles) of CSP codeine concealed with 38 cartons of pearl plating insulated casserole/5′ bullet insulated hotspot and container number 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 also revealed that both containers have been converted to seizure in accordance with the provisions of the NCS Act 2023 as amended.
Speaking on the latest interception, the Customs Area Controller (CAC), Apapa Area Command, Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba said the seizure serves as a clear demonstration of the command’s unwavering commitment to the directives and vision of the CGC.
His words: “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 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.”
Oshoba commended NDLEA for what he called “its seamless collaboration and unwavering support” in the successful operation.
He maintained that NCS Apapa Area Command remains steadfast in its resolve to protect public health, safeguard national security and facilitate only legitimate trade in line with Adeniyi’s renewed emphasis on technology-driven operations and zero tolerance for smuggling activities.
