- Investigations are ongoing to track down those responsible for the illegal importation
The Nigeria Customs Service has intercepted four 40-foot containers of illicit drugs worth N1.18 billion at the Apapa Area Command, thwarting an attempt to smuggle them into the country.
The discovery, announced by the command’s Public Relations Officer, Usman Abubakar, involved 236,783 bottles of codeine-containing cough syrup, including Barcadin, packed in 2,174 cartons.
The seizures were made at two terminals within the command.
Babatunde Olomu, Customs Area Controller for Apapa, highlighted the operation as part of the service’s zero-tolerance policy towards smuggling. “On the 11th of October 2024, our officers, during a joint inspection, uncovered 34,800 bottles of prohibited CSP cough syrup in a 40-foot container. The drugs were expired and packed in 174 cartons,” Olomu said.
Further inspections that same day revealed another container with 39,700 bottles of DSP cough syrup, similarly packaged. Two additional containers, one falsely declared as containing essential goods and another as kitchenware, were found to conceal more codeine-laden syrup.
The seized drugs were packed in a total of 1,584 cartons, with an additional 83 loose bottles discovered. Olomu confirmed that investigations are ongoing to track down those responsible for the illegal importation.
Codeine cough syrup has been banned in Nigeria since 2018 due to its widespread abuse, particularly among youth, where it has contributed to addiction and criminal activity.