Customs, NAFDAC Smash N20.5bn Drug Syndicate In Onne Port Seizure
Sixteen containers loaded with illicit pharmaceuticals worth over N20.5 billion have been intercepted at Onne Port by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) in collaboration with NAFDAC and other security agencies, just weeks after both agencies signed a fresh MoU to strengthen regulatory enforcement.Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, announced the seizure at a press briefing in Onne, over the weekend, describing it as a result of intelligence-driven enforcement and strengthened inter-agency collaboration.
“Our anti-smuggling operations align with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s policy on border security, public health, and national safety. We remain committed to ensuring that Nigeria’s borders are not exploited by criminal elements,” Adeniyi said. He revealed that the containers were disguised as carrying everyday items such as tomato paste, ceiling fans, and plumbing materials, in what he called “sophisticated concealment tactics” by smugglers.The intercepted items include 1.3 million bottles of Codeine syrup (100ml), 9.3 million tablets of Really Extra Diclofenac, and 12.6 million tablets of Royal Tramadol (225mg).
Other unregistered drugs found in the containers include Trodol, Hyergra, Bisoveu, and Bassuka.“This seizure sends a clear message to criminal networks: the Nigeria Customs Service, in partnership with our enforcement counterparts, maintains zero tolerance for smuggling.
We will bring the full weight of the law to bear on all perpetrators,” Adeniyi declared.The seized containers were formally handed over to NAFDAC’s Director-General, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, who highlighted the consignment as a public health disaster narrowly averted.“Frankly, it was shocking. These products could destroy lives: Codeine, Tramadol, and counterfeit painkillers.
The fact that some were hidden in tomato paste shows clear criminal intent. This isn’t business; this is murder for profit,” she said.Adeyeye confirmed that NAFDAC would subject the items to full regulatory scrutiny, including laboratory analysis, documentation, and destruction, insisting that the agency’s WHO-certified laboratories and trained personnel would ensure the drugs never make it to Nigerian shelves.
“We are WHO-certified, with international-standard laboratories and well-trained personnel. These products will never make it into the Nigerian market,” she assured.She warned those involved in the trade of falsified medicines, calling them “merchants of death” and vowing that Nigeria will not be a dumping ground for unapproved pharmaceuticals.Customs Area Controller for PH II, Comptroller Muhammed Babandede, characterised the seizure as “brief but historic,” and credited the outcome to institutional synergy among agencies such as NDLEA, NAFDAC, DSS, and the Office of the National Security Adviser.
“The seizure involved eleven 40-foot containers of illicit medicines, four micro containers of bottled water, and one container of salt. This success reflects the strength of our collaboration, which aligns with the Service’s policy of unity through cooperation, consolidation, and innovation,” he said.The Onne seizure follows a similar operation at Apapa Port just last week, where 25 containers of substandard medical devices were intercepted.
Reaffirming their joint stance, all agencies involved pledged to deepen intelligence-sharing, surveillance, and enforcement in line with national security goals and global regulatory standards.
