The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has uncovered an attempt to smuggle unregistered pharmaceutical products into the country using a fake registration number belonging to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, disclosed this during the handover of seized narcotic drugs and expired pharmaceutical products valued at N53.39 billion to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and NAFDAC at the Apapa Area Command.
According to Adeniyi, one of the intercepted consignments contained 1,100 packages of CHACOLD Chlorpheniramine Maleate Capsules bearing a fake NAFDAC registration number alongside forged documentation intended to give the impression that the products had received regulatory approval.
He explained that although the shipment initially appeared legitimate, a thorough verification by authorities confirmed that the medicines were never registered with NAFDAC.
“The use of a fake registration number and fraudulent supporting documents clearly points to a deliberate attempt to introduce unregistered pharmaceutical products into the Nigerian market,” Adeniyi said, warning that such products pose serious risks to public health.
The Customs boss said the fake pharmaceutical shipment was one of nine major seizures recorded by the Apapa Area Command through intelligence gathering, cargo scanning, physical examination and collaboration with the NDLEA.
He disclosed that the intercepted consignments had a combined Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N53,391,140,029 and included cannabis, codeine syrup, expired pharmaceutical products and other prohibited items concealed in containers arriving at Nigeria’s busiest seaport.
Among the seizures were two 40-foot containers loaded with Cannabis Sativa hidden alongside imported vehicles, automobile spare parts and household items.
One of the containers contained 3,639 parcels of cannabis weighing 1,819.5 kilograms, while another was found with 9,918 sachets weighing approximately 4.95 metric tonnes.
Customs officers also intercepted two containers carrying 3,398 cartons, equivalent to 339,800 bottles of codeine syrup, concealed inside consignments of insulated casserole dishes and other household goods.
In addition, Customs seized three containers loaded with expired pharmaceutical products, including Tramadol, Oxytocin injections, Carbamazepine tablets, Cloxacillin capsules, Vitamin B12 injections and B-Complex injections.
Adeniyi said the successful operations underscore the agency’s commitment to safeguarding public health, protecting national security and strengthening border control through intelligence-driven enforcement.
He warned that criminal networks continue to exploit legitimate trade channels to smuggle illicit drugs and unsafe pharmaceutical products into the country but stressed that the Nigeria Customs Service has significantly enhanced its intelligence, technological and operational capabilities to detect and dismantle such schemes.
The Comptroller-General announced that all seized narcotic drugs had been handed over to the NDLEA for investigation and prosecution, while the expired pharmaceutical products would be transferred to NAFDAC for regulatory action and safe disposal.
He added that vehicles, automobile spare parts and other items used to conceal the prohibited products would remain in the custody of the Nigeria Customs Service pending forfeiture, condemnation, revenue recovery and other enforcement procedures in line with the provisions of the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023.
