The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has announced the seizure of 16 containers of illicit pharmaceutical products with an estimated value of ₦20.5 billion at the Onne Port in Rivers State.
According to a statement issued by NCS spokesperson Abdullahi Maiwada, the items were falsely declared as tomato paste, ceiling fans, and plumbing materials to evade detection.
The seized consignment includes 1.3 million bottles of codeine syrup (100ml each), 9.3 million tablets of Really Extra Diclofenac, and 12.6 million tablets of Royal Tramadol (225mg). Other items intercepted include various unregistered and banned medications such as Trodol, Hyergra, Bisoveu, and Bassuka.
“These products were deliberately mislabelled to mislead port authorities,” the statement said. “This seizure sends a clear message to criminal networks: the Nigeria Customs Service, in partnership with our enforcement counterparts, maintains zero tolerance for smuggling.”
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, said the operation was carried out with support from other security agencies and regulatory bodies, stressing that legal action will follow.
“We will bring the full weight of the law to bear on all perpetrators,” Adeniyi stated.
Officials say the seizure is part of an intensified crackdown on illegal imports of pharmaceutical products following a similar interception at Apapa Port involving 25 containers of medical devices.
Speaking at the site where the containers were handed over, Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, raised concern over the nature of the concealment and the volume of restricted substances involved.
“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.
Professor Adeyeye said NAFDAC will subject the seized products to laboratory analysis to verify their contents and ensure proper documentation before destruction.
“We are WHO-certified, with international-standard laboratories and well-trained personnel. These products will never make it into the Nigerian market,” she noted.
She also described the individuals behind the operation as “merchants of death,” adding that Nigeria would continue to resist attempts to turn the country into a destination for counterfeit or substandard drugs.
The Customs Area Controller of Port Harcourt II (Onne) Command, Comptroller Muhammed Babandede, said the successful operation was made possible through coordinated intelligence-sharing and joint enforcement.
“This result reflects the strategy of unity through cooperation, consolidation, and innovation,” he said.
Investigations into the origin of the shipments and the identities of the importers are ongoing.
