The Apapa Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has intercepted two stolen vehicles from Canada that were imported into Nigeria through the Apapa seaport.
Comptroller Babatunde Olomu, the Customs Area Controller of the Apapa Command, disclosed this at a news conference in Lagos on Thursday.
Olomu said that the 40ft container contained a 2024 model Lexus of 450 vehicles with Chassis number JTJCJNGA6R2017707 and another 2023 Lexus RX 350 with Chassis number 2T2BAMCAPCO32741were falsely declared as food items.
He said the command also intercepted five containers of cosmetics, used clothing, and Codeine syrup worth N3.2 billion.
Olomu said that while the service facilitates trade and collects revenue for the Federal Government, the service should ensure Nigerians were protected from dangerous imports that were injurious to public health and wellbeing.
“As a result of our painstaking efforts, we recently uncovered six containers laden with prohibited items mostly unregistered pharmaceuticals. Other items seized in the containers are cosmetics, used clothing and two vehicles illegally imported into the country.
“These above mentioned seizures worth a total DPV of N3.247 billion.
“The seizures are container No. SUDU 8685733 (40FT) was found to contain 1,698 RTPL CSC Cough syrup with codeine concealed in 202 packages of water closet. Container No. MRSU 4846204 (40FT) was found to contain 1,690 cartons of codeine syrup concealed in the toilet seat. The two seizures have a street value of N2.7billion.
“Interestingly, these two containers were intercepted as a result of international collaboration as well as local networking with officers and men of the Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency.
“Container No. ONEU 1153150 (40 FT) was found to contain 1,584 packages of Globatin anti-marks & 30g Clobetasol cream falsely declared as truck tyres.
“Also container No. MRSU 3258823 (40 FT) was found to contain Rabeprazole for injection, 25mg Zahifranil tablets, 1000mg vancomycin hydrochloride, cyproheptadine with vitamin B complex, and other pharmaceutical products without NAFDAC registration number, falsely declared as kitchen wares and tables.
“Container No. MRKU 0904594 (40 FT) was found to contain two stolen vehicles from Canada. A 2024 model Lexus RX 450 vehicle with chassis number JTJCJNGA6R2017707 and another 2023 Lexus RX 350 with chassis number 2T2BAMCAPCO32741 were falsely declared as food items.
“While container No. SEKU 4716830 (40 FT) was found to contain 390 bales of used clothing, which contravened the import prohibition law,” Olumu said.
The Apapa CAC explained that the command had collected over N1 trillion from importers to the government coffers before the end of May.
Olomu added that with the revenue collected from the command so far indicated that the Nigeria Customs Service would surpass its revenue target for 2025.
“Let me use this briefing to inform you that having crossed the one trillion-naira collection before the end of the 5th month, we have so far generated a total of N1.09 trillion as of 21 May 2025.
“This collection confirms our trajectory and laudable antecedent of meeting and surpassing our target. Like we’ve done before, we are ready to do better this year.
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“Our chronicle of outstanding revenue collection speaks boldly for us and attests to our capacity to do more.
“For instance, in October 2024, we collected N18.2 billion; on March 14, 2025, we recorded a feat of N18.9 billion, and on 20th May 2025, we made another record-breaking collection of N18.919billion All these are groundbreaking daily collections.”
“Let me use this briefing to warn that Apapa port will remain a no-go area for any unlawful activity and our officers are very much ready to uncover concealment and effect seizures or arrest where necessary,” Olomu said.
The Assistant Commander General of Narcotics, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Buba Wakawa, said NDLEA intensified further in order to curtail the importation of unwanted substances right from the source.
“NDLEA signed an MOU with India to stop producing codeine to Nigerian importers, that is why they have gone to the extent of using neighbouring countries that does not have MOU with them.
“I think with the synergy that is going on now, we are closing that gap, and we will checkmate them,” Wakawa said.
The Deputy Director, Port Inspection, National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Kingsley Odumah, commended the synergy between sister agencies at the port in combating the menace of falsified and unregistered pharmaceuticals.
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