Customs Seizes 1.8 Tonnes of Cannabis at Apapa Port

LAGOS — The Nigeria Customs Service, Apapa Command, said Friday it intercepted 1.8 tonnes of cannabis and a batch of expired pharmaceutical products before they could reach the open market.

Officers made the discovery during a routine check of containers passing through the Apapa terminal. The command said the operation also prevented expired drugs from entering circulation, a practice that puts public health at risk.

Routine Checks Yield Results

A Customs spokesperson said the seizure formed part of ongoing efforts to block illegal goods from moving through Lagos ports. Officers have stepped up inspections in recent months following a rise in smuggling attempts.

“We will not relent in protecting Nigerians from harmful products entering through our ports,” the spokesperson said in a statement shared with reporters on Friday.

The expired pharmaceuticals were not immediately itemized, but officials said the items would have posed a direct danger had they reached pharmacies or open markets. Investigators are working to trace the supply chain behind both seizures.

Wider Crackdown Continues

The Apapa Command has recorded several similar seizures this year as part of a broader Customs strategy to tighten control over Lagos ports, which remain Nigeria’s busiest entry point for both legal trade and contraband.

Officials said no arrests had been announced yet in connection with the cannabis or the expired drugs, though investigations into the importers remained active. Customs said updates would follow once the probe concludes.