By Sandra Chukwunyere The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), PTML Command, has intercepted fake drugs worth ₦200 million meant for high blood pressure and antibiotics, handing them over to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) for prosecution.
The Customs Area Controller, (CAC) Comptroller Joe Anani just six weeks in office revealed during a press briefing that the Command had seized two containers filled with fake pharmaceutical drugs. (one 40-foot, one 20-foot) with 6,662 cartons of unregistered antibiotics and misdeclared pharmaceuticals stressing the command’s “no-compromise” stance on security.
These include, unregistered antibiotics of various brands (6,662 cartons) and other medicines disguised as supermarket items, with a Duty Paid Value of ₦200 million.
The containers, one 40-foot and another 20-foot (GCLU1275880), were falsely declared, but a 100% examination exposed the dangerous consignment. Acting on intelligence and with inter-agency collaboration, the NCS handed over the drugs to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) for further investigation and prosecution.
Comptroller Anani emphasized the command’s commitment to enforcing Nigeria’s laws, securing borders, and protecting public health, stating, “We are not compromising national security for trade facilitation.”
Speaking at the handover, NAFDAC’s Director of Port Operations, Dr. Olakunle Olaniran, praised the NCS for preventing substandard drugs from entering the market, warning they could’ve caused “unimaginable damages, including death.”
He urged Nigerians to buy medicines only from licensed pharmacies, avoiding hawkers. “These products are fast-moving… you won’t differentiate the bad from the good,” he cautioned.
“These drugs could have caused unimaginable harm,” said Dr. Olakunle Olaniran, NAFDAC’s Port Operations Director, urging Nigerians to buy from licensed pharmacies.
Alongside this seizure, the PTML Command reported a 96.4% revenue increase from January to September 2025 (₦350.3 billion), outperforming 2024’s total.
Comptroller Anani credited the success to the “B’Odogwu trade platform” and partnerships with security agencies. The operation also netted a pistol, 2 magazines, and 12 live ammunition, reinforcing their vigilance.
