The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Apapa Area Command, has intercepted 4,143.5 kilograms of Cannabis Indica worth an estimated ₦26.57 billion concealed in a container of imported used vehicles at the Apapa Port, Lagos.
Disclosing this in a statement on Tuesday, the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Isah Suleiman, said the seizure followed a joint intelligence-led operation by the NCS and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), culminating in the examination of a 40-foot container, FANU1933352, on July 10, 2026.
Customs officers found three imported used vehicles—a 2015 Nissan Micra and two Toyota Corolla cars (2015 and 2019)—inside the container. A thorough search uncovered 162 bags containing 8,287 parcels of Cannabis Indica weighing 4,143.5kg.
Investigators said four bags were concealed inside the Nissan Micra, while the remaining 158 were hidden beneath the container’s floor and between the vehicles. No drugs were found inside the two Toyota Corolla cars.
Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba, described the interception as evidence of the command’s resolve to keep prohibited items out of Nigeria through the nation’s busiest seaport.
“This seizure once again demonstrates our untiring commitment in ensuring that only lawful trade thrives in Apapa Port. As we intensify investigation into the matter, I want to reiterate that this command has made the port a no-go area for anything forbidden by our laws,” he said.
Oshoba assured compliant traders of continued support through trade facilitation measures introduced by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Dr. Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, while stressing that the command would sustain its zero-tolerance stance against smuggling and other illicit trade.
He also commended Customs officers and NDLEA operatives for their professionalism and vigilance during the operation.
The command said the container has been seized in line with the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023, while investigations continue to identify and arrest those behind the smuggling attempt.
