The Nigeria Customs Service has intercepted 11 containers loaded with unregistered sex enhancement drugs, expired food items, drones, and other banned products at the Apapa Port in Lagos. The total value of the seized items is estimated at ₦921 million.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, disclosed this on Wednesday while addressing journalists at the Apapa Command during the public display of the seized containers. According to him, the operation is part of the Customs’ effort to secure the nation from harmful products and illegal imports.
Adeniyi said the seized containers included five 40-foot containers, two 20-foot containers, and four other consignments that were intercepted in recent weeks due to suspicious activities and misdeclarations.
Out of the 11 seized containers, five were filled with various types of unregistered sexual enhancement drugs. The Customs boss said these products were dangerous to public health and could lead to serious illnesses or death if they entered the Nigerian market.
Adeniyi gave further details about the contents of the containers. The first 40-foot container carried 89 cartons of pharmaceutical items without proper registration. The second one had 242 cartons of similar drugs. The third 40-foot container contained 1,001 cartons of hydra-sildenafil citrate tablets, which he described as lacking registration by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
Another 40-foot container had 1,400 packages of a product labeled “chest and lungs beta plus big booty tablets”, also unregistered. The fifth container carried 805 packages of drugs falsely declared as cosmetic powder.
Apart from drugs, two 20-foot containers were found with expired margarine. Adeniyi said that one of them also contained 60 units of military-style warrior drones. These drones were valued at ₦15.9 billion and did not have the mandatory End User Certificate from the Office of the National Security Adviser.
Another seizure included 53 helicopter drones worth ₦2.1 million, also lacking the required documentation. Customs also found 10 professional FM transceiver walkie-talkies, which are communication devices that need proper clearance from national security authorities.
The Comptroller-General warned about the increasing trend of smuggling unregulated sexual performance drugs, saying that many of them cause heart problems and dangerous reactions when taken without a doctor’s advice.
Adeniyi grouped the seized items into three categories. The first category, which made up 63.7% of the total, consisted of unregistered pharmaceutical products without NAFDAC certification, in direct violation of Section 28 of the NAFDAC Act.
The second category was expired food products, especially margarine, which pose serious health risks. The third category involved controlled equipment like drones and telecommunication devices imported without the End User Certificate from the NSA’s office.
He pointed out that some of the smugglers disguised the items to deceive officials. For instance, drugs were hidden inside containers declared as cosmetics and skin creams.
Adeniyi raised concerns that the style of smuggling has changed. He said these are no longer isolated cases, but appear to be part of a more coordinated and sophisticated criminal network.
He explained that these smugglers now mix different contraband items, such as drugs, expired food, and banned equipment, in one shipment to avoid detection.
Despite the challenges, he said the Customs Service is strengthening its collaboration with NAFDAC, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), and the Office of the National Security Adviser. He said the agencies are working together under agreements and joint operations to tackle these threats more effectively.
Also speaking at the event, Dr. Olakunle Olaniran, Director of Ports Inspection at NAFDAC, confirmed that some of the seized products had fake registration numbers. He said one product, originally meant for industrial use in coal processing, was wrongly packaged with a fake NAFDAC number that was copied from a painkiller, tramadol.
Dr. Olaniran also said another intercepted drug was fraudulently labeled as a mental health medicine, though it lacked any proper identification as a legitimate drug.
The authorities warned Nigerians to be careful about the medicines they buy and consume, as dangerous products continue to enter the country through illegal channels.
