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The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has seized five containers of sex-enhancement drugs and six containers of banned pharmaceuticals, expired food items, and controlled security equipment valued at N921 billion, imported through Apapa Port between January and April of this year.
Controller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, showcased the confiscated goods to the press yesterday at the port, stating that the contraband was identified through enhanced surveillance and risk assessment strategies in line with the National Strategic Economic Development Plan and the Presidential Executive Order on Port Operations.
He noted that a total of 11 seizures were made, which included five 40-foot containers, two 20-foot containers, and four additional seizures of poorly concealed contraband items with a total duty value of N921 billion.
Adeniyi pointed out the alarming rise in unregulated sexual performance drugs being falsely labeled as cosmetics, cautioning that these substances carry significant health risks, including possible cardiovascular issues and harmful drug interactions when used without proper medical supervision.
"A particularly concerning trend has been the rise of unregulated sexual performance enhancers, which made up the majority of pharmaceutical seizures. These drugs pose considerable cardiovascular dangers when consumed without medical oversight," the CGC cautioned.
He mentioned other types of seized items, highlighting unregistered pharmaceutical products, which accounted for 73.7 percent of the total haul, falsely declared as cosmetic powder and found not to have the necessary registration and certification from the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), violating Section 28 of the NAFDAC Act.
Adeniyi also displayed expired food products, particularly margarine, found in two 20-foot containers, with safety standards considered hazardous to public health and violating food product registration regulations and the exports Act's pre-shipment inspections.
Additionally, the Customs chief exhibited controlled equipment worth N18 million, which included 60 units of war drones, 53 helicopter drones, and 10 professional FM transceiver walkie-talkies seized at SIFAX terminal and ENL terminal for lacking end-user certificates from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).
Adeniyi described the seizures as part of heightened national efforts to combat transnational criminal networks that are taking advantage of Nigeria’s entry points, as importers intentionally misrepresent their cargo to avoid detection.
The Customs chief revealed strategic smuggling trends based on intelligence reports, such as mis-labeling drugs as cosmetics, the diversification of contraband shipments (including pharmaceuticals, expired food, and drones), using jurisdictions with lax export controls, increasing non-pharmaceutical security threats, and the growing financial scope of smuggling operations.
These trends indicate the presence of organized transnational criminal syndicates, rather than mere isolated smuggling attempts.
He emphasized the agency’s continuous collaboration with essential bodies such as NAFDAC, NDLEA, and the ONSA, noting that these partnerships, which function under joint frameworks and memoranda of understanding, have greatly enhanced the country’s enforcement capabilities.
The Director of Ports Inspection at NAFDAC, Dr. Olakunle Daniel Olaniran, also confirmed that some of the confiscated drugs had counterfeit registration numbers and posed serious health risks to unsuspecting Nigerians.
He mentioned that one of the confiscated items was intended for industrial purposes in coal treatment but was fraudulently labeled with a NAFDAC registration number that had originally been issued for another product, specifically the well-known pain relief medication, Tramadol. Olaniran added that another intercepted product was falsely sold as a mental health medication but had no legitimate pharmaceutical identification.
He also raised concerns about a counterfeit version of Viagra, a prescription medication for erectile dysfunction, warning that such drugs should only be taken under the guidance of a qualified medical professional, as interactions with other medications can lead to serious health consequences, including death.
