Customs Intercepts Contraband Worth N921m at Apapa Port, Including Sex Drugs, Expired Food, and Drones
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has announced the interception of 11 containers loaded with contraband items, including unregistered sex-enhancement drugs, expired food products, and restricted drones, with an estimated duty-paid value of N921 million at Apapa Port from January to date.
Speaking during a press briefing in Apapa on Wednesday, Comptroller-General Adewale Adeniyi revealed that the seized containers included five 40-foot, two 20-foot, and four additional containers carrying concealed illegal goods.
He stated that five of the containers were packed with unregistered pharmaceutical products, including sex-enhancement drugs, which pose severe public health risks if released into the market. One container was falsely declared as containing cosmetic powders, while others held expired margarine, drones, and communication equipment.
Adeniyi disclosed that the containers held thousands of unregistered items such as hydra-sildenafil citrate tablets and “big booty” enhancement pills, none of which were approved by NAFDAC. He also highlighted the seizure of drones—worth N15.9 million and N2.1 million respectively—lacking required End User Certificates from the National Security Adviser’s office.
He warned of the rising trend in smuggling dangerous, unapproved sexual performance drugs, noting the potential for life-threatening side effects such as cardiovascular issues.
The seized goods fall into three major categories:
1. Unregistered pharmaceutical products, which made up 73.7% of the total seizure and violated NAFDAC regulations.
2. Expired food items, deemed unsafe and illegally brought in without required pre-shipment inspections.
3. Restricted equipment, such as drones and communication tools, smuggled without proper documentation.
Adeniyi raised concerns over increasingly sophisticated smuggling methods, including false declarations where pharmaceuticals are mislabelled as cosmetics or general goods. He noted that importers now appear to be part of coordinated criminal networks rather than acting individually.
He stressed that Customs is working closely with NAFDAC, the NDLEA, and the NSA’s office to strengthen enforcement through joint operations and shared intelligence.
Also speaking, NAFDAC’s Director of Ports Inspection, Dr. Olakunle Olaniran, confirmed that some seized items carried fake NAFDAC registration numbers. One such product, originally meant for coal processing, was fraudulently relabelled as the painkiller tramadol.
Both agencies reaffirmed their commitment to protecting Nigerians from harmful and counterfeit products.
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