In the third drug interception recorded in recent weeks, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Apapa Area Command, in collaboration with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has seized 30.1 kilograms of cocaine concealed onboard a Marshall Islands flagged vessel, MV Aruna, at the Apapa Port in Lagos.
In a press statement signed by the Public Relations Officer of the command, Chief Superintendent of Customs , Isah Sulaiman, the seizure was made on Friday, 2nd January 2026, at the Greenview Terminal, Apapa Port, marking the first major interception by the command in the new year. The illicit drug, made up of 30 slabs of cocaine, was carefully hidden aboard the vessel, reflecting the sophisticated tactics employed by drug trafficking networks.
Barely two weeks earlier, operatives of the joint NCS–NDLEA team had intercepted 25.5 kilograms of cocaine concealed in five bags aboard another vessel, following credible intelligence.
The Customs Area Controller, Apapa Command, Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba, described the latest seizure as a product of intelligence led enforcement and strong inter-agency synergy. He commended officers of both agencies for their vigilance and professionalism, reiterating the command’s zero tolerance stance on smuggling and other illicit activities.
The seized cocaine has been handed over to the NDLEA for further investigation and possible prosecution in line with established procedures.
Meanwhile, on 11th December 2025, the joint team had also intercepted 1,187 kilograms of “Canadian Loud,” a high grade strain of cannabis, packaged in 2,374 parcels across 55 bags and concealed inside imported vehicles in a 40-foot container.
Comptroller Oshoba reaffirmed that the Apapa Port Command remains committed to facilitating legitimate trade while safeguarding national security at the nation’s seaports.
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