The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Apapa Port Command and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have jointly intercepted 347.5 kilogrammes of Canadian Loud, a high-grade strain of cannabis, concealed inside an imported Toyota Sienna vehicle at the Apapa Port in Lagos.
The command’s Public Relations Officer, CSC Isah Sulaiman said on Tuesday that the seizure was made during a joint operation conducted less than 24 hours after the Customs Area Controller (CAC) of Apapa Port Command, Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba, received the World Customs Organisation (WCO) Certificate of Merit for outstanding service.
According to him, the illicit drugs were hidden in 13 bags inside one of four vehicles contained in a single import consignment.
A detailed examination and weighing revealed that 10 of the bags weighed 25 kilogrammes each, one weighed 29 kilogrammes, while the remaining two weighed 34.5 kilogrammes and 34 kilogrammes respectively, bringing the total seizure to 347.5 kilogrammes.
He explained that the interception represents the fourth major joint drug seizure by the NCS and NDLEA at the Apapa Port within the last two months, highlighting intensified surveillance and enforcement efforts at Nigeria’s busiest seaport.
Also, Comptroller Oshoba warned that criminal networks attempting to smuggle prohibited substances through Apapa Port would continue to be exposed.
He said: “Any attempt by criminal elements to traffic prohibited items through Apapa Port will be detected and thwarted. We remain vigilant and resolute in the discharge of our duty to protect our society and national security.”
Osoba added that the operation further underscores the growing inter-agency collaboration championed by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, PhD. Through intelligence sharing and coordinated enforcement, Customs and NDLEA officers have recorded repeated successes against smuggling syndicates operating within Nigeria’s maritime sector.
He attributed the latest seizure to this strengthened partnership, noting that the planned deployment of a high-capacity drive-through scanner capable of inspecting 200 containers per hour would significantly boost technology-driven anti-smuggling operations at the port.
In line with established Standard Operating Procedures, he stressed that the seized 347.5 kilogrammes of Canadian Loud had been formally handed over to the NDLEA for further investigation and prosecution of suspects linked to the shipment.
The latest interception added to recent recognitions received by Comptroller Oshoba and the NDLEA Apapa Special Area Commander, Mohammed Tukur, both of whom were awarded the WCO Certificate of Merit on Monday, 26 January 2026, in Abuja during activities marking the International Customs Day celebrations in Nigeria.
