Officers of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Apapa Area Command, in collaboration with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), have intercepted 30.1 kilograms of cocaine at the Apapa Port in Lagos, thwarting an attempt to smuggle the illicit drug into the country.
The seizure was disclosed in a statement issued on Friday, January 2, 2026, by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Chief Superintendent of Customs, Isah Sulaiman. According to the statement, the cocaine was packaged in 30 slabs and concealed aboard the MV Aruna, a Marshall Islands-flagged vessel, at the Greenview Terminal. The interception took place on the first working day of the new year.
Commenting on the operation, the Customs Area Controller of Apapa Command, Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba, praised the professionalism and vigilance of officers involved in the joint operation, describing the seizure as a testament to effective inter-agency collaboration and intelligence-led enforcement.
“This achievement reflects the strong inter-agency synergy between federal government agencies and our commitment to intelligence-led enforcement,” Oshoba said.
He added that despite attempts by criminal elements to outwit security agencies, officers of the command remain proactive in ensuring that smuggling activities, whether disguised as import, export or transit cargo, are detected and prevented.
The Customs boss described the interception as a clear signal of the command’s zero-tolerance stance against illicit trade in 2026, stressing that the Apapa Area Command remains committed to safeguarding national security while facilitating legitimate trade.
In line with standard operating procedures, the seized cocaine has been handed over to the NDLEA for further investigation and prosecution of suspects connected to the shipment.
The seizure marks the third major drug interception by the joint NCS–NDLEA team in recent weeks. About two weeks earlier, the agencies intercepted 25.5 kilograms of cocaine concealed in five bags aboard another vessel following credible intelligence.
Similarly, on December 11, 2025, the joint team seized 1,187 kilograms of “Canadian Loud,” a high-grade strain of cannabis, packed in 2,374 parcels across 55 bags and hidden inside imported vehicles in a 40-foot container.
About The Author
