By Nkechi Eze
In a monumental anti-smuggling operation that underscores the growing strength of inter-agency collaboration in Nigeria, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), in partnership with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and other national security outfits, has intercepted 16 containers of illicit pharmaceutical products at the Port Harcourt II Area Command, Onne, Rivers State. The seizure, with an estimated street value exceeding ₦20.5 billion, marks a significant victory in Nigeria’s ongoing battle against the importation of dangerous and unregistered medicines.
The breakthrough comes on the heels of the operationalisation of the 2024 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Customs and NAFDAC, which was designed to deepen regulatory synergy and foster a more robust frontline against the influx of fake drugs and related contraband. This historic development was formally announced by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, during a high-profile press briefing held at the Onne Command headquarters on Friday, July 18, 2025.
Describing the interception as a product of intensified intelligence-driven enforcement and seamless inter-agency cooperation, CGC Adeniyi reaffirmed the Service’s commitment to upholding national security and public health priorities as articulated in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s security framework.
“Our anti-smuggling operations are no longer just about protecting revenue, they’re about safeguarding the lives of Nigerians. This seizure reinforces our alignment with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration’s overarching policy direction on border integrity, public health, and internal security. The Nigeria Customs Service, working hand-in-hand with our sister agencies, remains fully committed to preventing our country’s entry points from becoming gateways for criminal exploitation,” he said.
Giving further insight into the operation, Adeniyi disclosed that the syndicate behind the importation had employed a web of deceit, disguising the containers as shipments of everyday household items such as tomato paste, ceiling fans, and plumbing accessories in a bid to evade detection.
“What we witnessed here was a deliberate, calculated effort to deceive the system. But our officers, equipped with both actionable intelligence and inter-agency coordination, were able to foil the plot. The concealment tactics were sophisticated, but not beyond our capabilities,” he stated.
According to the detailed inventory provided by Customs, the intercepted items included a staggering 1.3 million bottles of Codeine syrup (each 100ml), 9.3 million tablets of Really Extra Diclofenac, and 12.6 million tablets of Royal Tramadol (225mg), a formulation notoriously associated with severe addiction and abuse. Also recovered were large quantities of other dangerous and unregistered pharmaceutical products such as Trodol, Hyergra, Bisoveu, and Bassuka, substances not cleared for distribution or consumption in Nigeria.
“This seizure is not just about numbers; it’s about lives saved. We want smugglers and their financiers to understand that Nigeria is not an open field for their nefarious trade. We will continue to bring the full weight of the law down on such criminal actors. Our message remains clear: there will be no hiding place,” Adeniyi declared.
The seized containers were formally handed over to the Director-General of NAFDAC, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, who led a delegation of senior officials from the agency to take custody of the illicit consignment in accordance with regulatory protocols. In her remarks, Professor Adeyeye did not mince words as she condemned the attempted importation, describing it as a public health catastrophe averted.
“Honestly, I was appalled. What these containers held was not just drugs, it was potential death, addiction, and a public health crisis. Codeine? Tramadol? And packed in tomato paste? That’s not just smuggling; it’s a criminal conspiracy to destroy our youth and our future. This is not business, it’s murder for profit,” she said.
She assured Nigerians that NAFDAC would conduct a full regulatory process, including laboratory analysis, product documentation, and ultimate destruction in line with global best practices.
“NAFDAC is WHO-certified. We have international-standard laboratories and highly skilled regulatory officers. We will ensure these products never touch Nigerian soil again. This is our pledge, and we stand by it,” she added.
The NAFDAC DG also issued a stern warning to unscrupulous importers and foreign collaborators involved in the production and shipment of falsified medicines, referring to them as “merchants of death” and insisting that Nigeria would no longer tolerate being a dumping ground for counterfeit pharmaceuticals.
Welcoming guests and stakeholders to the occasion, the Customs Area Controller (CAC) of PH II Onne Command, Comptroller Muhammed Babandede, described the seizure as a proud milestone for the Command and a reflection of how far cooperation among security and regulatory agencies had evolved.
“This may be a brief ceremony, but it marks a historic turning point in the fight against pharmaceutical smuggling. It took the coordinated efforts of multiple agencies, including the Nigeria Customs Service, NAFDAC, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), to make this happen,” Babandede stated.
He further disclosed the configuration of the seizure, which included eleven 40-foot containers of unregistered medicines, four smaller containers carrying bottled water used for concealment, and one container of salt—another diversion tactic deployed to throw off investigators.
“What this tells us is that crime is becoming more complex and layered, and our response must be equally intelligent, united, and dynamic. This operation reflects our commitment to Customs’ policy of cooperation, consolidation, and innovation. The smugglers lost this round badly,” he said.
The Onne breakthrough follows closely on the heels of a similar operation conducted just a week earlier at the Apapa Port, where 25 containers of substandard medical devices were impounded, further emphasizing that Nigerian ports have become battlegrounds in the national campaign against fake and harmful medical imports.
The event concluded with a renewed commitment by all participating agencies to fortify their intelligence-sharing frameworks, increase surveillance capabilities, and carry out more joint enforcement actions to ensure national health security and maintain Nigeria’s compliance with international safety protocols.
