The Nigeria Customs Service, Tincan Island Command, has handed over three containers loaded with expired pharmaceutical products to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, in a move authorities say underscores a renewed crackdown on illicit and unsafe medicines.

Customs Area Controller at Tincan Island Port, Comptroller Frank Onyeka, announced the transfer during a formal handover ceremony in Lagos, stressing that the operation was driven by concerns over public health and national security.

Onyeka said the interception formed part of the command’s sustained anti-smuggling campaign, describing the effort to keep dangerous drugs out of circulation as a collective responsibility shared by security agencies, regulators, and port users.

He disclosed that two of the seized 20-foot containers, identified as PONU031958/6 and MSKU711656/0, were found to contain expired Tramadol tablets. Detailed examination showed that one container held 86 cartons of Vingil Tramadol BP 50mg, while the second contained 250 cartons of the same expired product.

The third container, marked MSKU413519/1, was loaded with 370 cartons of expired Diclofenac Sodium BP 50mg tablets, which also lacked a valid NAFDAC registration number, raising further regulatory red flags.

Describing the consignment as illegal and dangerous for public consumption, Onyeka warned that such products pose serious risks to unsuspecting Nigerians, particularly when they enter informal markets or are dispensed without proper oversight.

He explained that beyond this seizure, the Tincan Island Command has strengthened cargo examination procedures, intelligence gathering, and enforcement operations to detect prohibited and falsely declared goods at the port.

According to him, the command now proactively targets controlled pharmaceuticals, arms, ammunition, narcotics, and other items considered threats to public safety and economic stability, while still facilitating legitimate trade and contributing to government revenue.

Onyeka attributed recent successes to discipline, integrity, and robust inter-agency collaboration, singling out NAFDAC as a key partner in preventing fake, substandard, and expired medicines from reaching consumers.

He pledged that Customs would deepen cooperation with sister agencies to safeguard lives and property, and reaffirmed the command’s resolve not to relent in the fight against illicit trade.

Receiving the consignments, NAFDAC Chief Regulatory Officer, Kareem Adekunle, said the expired drugs would be destroyed by burning in line with regulatory protocols. He commended Customs for the interception and promised continued partnership to protect the health of Nigerians.