The Nigeria Customs Service, Area 2 Command, has intercepted 20 containers of illicit drugs valued at more than N13.5 billion ($17.5 million), in what officials described as a major breakthrough against counterfeit pharmaceuticals entering the country.
Outgoing Area Controller, Comptroller Mohammed Babandede, disclosed the seizure during a press briefing in Onne on Wednesday, shortly before handing over to his successor, Comptroller Aliyu Alkali.
The intercepted containers carried a vast quantity of narcotics and unapproved medicines, including 1,195,400 bottles of codeine syrup, 3.2 million tablets of extra diclofenac, 3.5 million tablets of benzhexol, 2,612,400 packages of analgin injection, 239,400 packages of artesunate injection and 399,700 packages of expired artemac injection. Officials also found 1,633 cartons of laboratory equipment concealed in the shipment.
Customs investigators revealed that the drugs, imported from India, were carefully hidden among items declared as household and industrial goods, such as ceiling fans, plumbing materials, bench vices, hoes, used clothing and chilly cutters, in a bid to evade detection.
Speaking at the handover ceremony, Babandede described the seizure as a decisive move to safeguard public health, stressing that the circulation of counterfeit and expired medication poses a serious threat to millions of Nigerians. He noted that substances such as codeine and tramadol, when used without medical supervision, have fuelled addiction and crime.
The Comptroller-General of Customs and the Director-General of NAFDAC had visited the command only six weeks earlier over a separate seizure, an engagement Babandede said underscored the deepening cooperation between both agencies in tackling drug smuggling.
He commended the commitment of his officers, attributing the success of the operation to their vigilance and professionalism.
The seizure adds to a string of achievements for the Onne Command, which between May 2024 and July 2025 reported revenue generation of over N859 billion and the interception of contraband valued at N200 billion.
