The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Tincan Island Port Command, has intensified its anti-smuggling operations with the seizure and handover of three containers loaded with expired pharmaceutical products to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
Speaking during the handover exercise held on Friday, February 6, 2026, the Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Frank Onyeka, said the interception was made possible through the vigilance and commitment of officers at the Command.
According to Onyeka, two of the containers were found to contain expired tramadol tablets. One container held 86 cartons of Vingil Tramadol BP 50mg, while the second contained 250 cartons of the same product. The third container, he disclosed, contained 370 cartons of expired Diclofenac Sodium BP 50mg tablets without a valid NAFDAC registration number, rendering the shipment illegal and unsafe for public use.
“Our Command remains resolute in intercepting prohibited and falsely declared goods, including controlled pharmaceuticals, arms and ammunition, narcotics, and other items capable of endangering public safety and economic stability,” Onyeka stated.
The seized drugs were subsequently handed over to NAFDAC for regulatory action.
Receiving the items, NAFDAC’s Chief Regulatory Officer for Investigation and Enforcement, Kareem Taiwo, praised the strong collaboration between Customs and the agency, noting that such partnership is crucial in safeguarding public health.
“We cannot do it alone. Our priority remains protecting the nation’s health, and we will ensure that only safe and wholesome products reach the public,” Taiwo said.
The development comes shortly after the Tincan Island Port Command handed over cannabis sativa valued at over ₦4.5 billion to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), highlighting ongoing inter-agency efforts to combat the importation of illegal and harmful goods into Nigeria.