Customs Hands Over 99.2bn Worth of Illicit Pharmaceutical Products to NAFDAC
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has handed over 25 containers of unregistered pharmaceutical and consumer products to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), marking a major milestone in the nation’s crackdown on illicit drug imports.
The seized items include a range of unapproved and dangerous products: sexual enhancement drugs such as REDSUN and HYEGRA (sildenafil citrate), codeine-based cough syrups (CSC brands), injectable antibiotics like oxytetracycline and artesunate, pain relief medications with diclofenac sodium and paracetamol, skin-lightening creams branded as GBOGBONISE and SKIN CHEMIST, and body enhancement products targeting breast and hip enlargement. Also confiscated were several counterfeit drugs with fake NAFDAC registration numbers.
Speaking at the handover event in Lagos on Friday, Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, disclosed that the contraband—largely imported from India—has an estimated street value of ₦9.2 billion. He noted that the seizure was part of the renewed inter-agency collaboration between Customs and NAFDAC following a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in November 2024.
“The MoU has enabled coordinated intelligence gathering, joint investigations, and strategic enforcement to disrupt the supply chains of illicit pharmaceuticals. We are seeing tangible results from this partnership,” Adeniyi said.
According to him, the 25 containers consist of 21 forty-foot and four twenty-foot containers carrying counterfeit and unregistered medical products, expired food items such as margarine and chocolate, veterinary medicines like albendazole bolus tablets, and anti-malarial drugs such as Artepharm-Artequick. Other consumer goods, including Crusader soap, were also intercepted.
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Adeniyi described the seizures as evidence of “a troubling pattern of deliberate misdeclaration and manipulation of import documentation” aimed at evading Nigeria’s regulatory controls.
He praised NAFDAC’s leadership and operational responsiveness, noting that some alerts were received as late as midnight and swiftly acted upon. He said the cooperation between NAFDAC and Customs has created a formidable front against criminal networks engaged in drug smuggling.
The Customs boss also highlighted the ongoing role of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) in coordinating joint operations. He revealed that over 200 containers had been seized through these efforts, with unregistered pharmaceuticals accounting for 63.7% of their total value.
“If these products had made it into the market, the consequences for public health and safety would have been disastrous,” Adeniyi warned. He referred to the traffickers as “merchants of death,” stressing that their activities undermine national health and social stability.
Issuing a stern warning to stakeholders in the international trade and logistics chain, Adeniyi stated that the Nigeria Customs Service will continue to enforce strict compliance with import regulations. He cautioned that any party found complicit—be it freight operators, bonded terminal owners, or clearing agents—would face legal consequences.
“With enhanced intelligence systems and modern technology, we are now well-positioned to detect and intercept contraband goods, regardless of concealment tactics,” he assured.
Adeniyi also commended the Apapa Port Command officers for their vigilance and professionalism, which he said were instrumental to the success of the operation.
“This handover is a testament to our shared commitment to protect national health and security. Through sustained collaboration and intelligence sharing, Nigeria’s borders will remain secure against threats to public safety,” he concluded.
By PRNigeria
