Customs intercepts N5.1b illicit drugs from India, Canada at Lagos airport

By : Adaku Onyenucheya

Date: 19 September 2025 1:56am WAT

Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA)

Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Murtala Muhammed Airport Command, has said it intercepted N5.1 billion worth of hard and illicit drugs imported into the country from India and Canada at the Lagos airport.

Disclosing this yesterday to journalists, the Customs Area Controller, Michael Awe, showcased the seized drugs at the Command, which include 121 packs of Canadian Cannabis with a duty paid value of N1.4 billion; 294,000 tablets of 225mg Tramadol HCL worth N1.2billion; Pregabalin 300mg worth N1.2 billion Norflex 50mg worth N800 million and Sardalud 2mg worth N495 Million with a total value of N5.1billion.

He said on July 30, 2025, a consignment with AWB number 235-63882254/2 packages, previously placed under surveillance, was evacuated from the NAHCO Import shed to the government warehouse.

Awe said upon joint examination, it was confirmed that the two packages containing a Duvet were used to conceal 121 packs of Canadian Cannabis Sativa with a DPV of N1.4billion.

Awe further stated that another seizure of Pregabalin tablets (300mg), Sardalud tablets (2mg), and Norflex tablets (50mg), all of which are controlled medications, were also uncovered during examination.

He said in a related development on September 17, 2025, two consignments with AWB Nos: 071-58231670 and 071-58234433 were also intercepted and evacuated from the NAHCO Import Shed to the Government Warehouse upon examination.

According to him, they were found to contain Pregabalin tablets (300mg), Sardalud tablets (2mg), and Norflex tablets (50mg), all of which are controlled medications imported without the required certification.

He said the disturbing aspect of the seizure was that the illicit drugs were deceptively branded as 50mg Diclofenac Sodium, which is a dangerous practice that poses a grave threat to public health.

Awe said no suspect was arrested in connection with the items, which would be handed over to the National Agency for Food Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for further investigation.