(Business in Cameroon) – The Directorate General of Customs has announced that its agents in the South West Region have seized 1,008,000 pieces of non-biodegradable plastic packaging weighing 1,017 kilogrammes, described as the largest seizure of its kind in the second half of 2025. According to the Customs Department, the contraband shipment, originating from Nigeria, was discovered on 30 October 2025 at the Karata customs checkpoint by the Mobile Brigade of Limbe during routine checks. The goods, as reported, were being transported in two tourist vehicles bound for Douala.
Authorities have confirmed that legal proceedings following the seizure are underway. It is expected to result in the payment of applicable fines and the destruction of the confiscated plastics, which do not comply with national standards. The consignment, composed entirely of non-biodegradable packaging, falls within the category of prohibited goods under Cameroonian law.
Cameroon has banned the manufacture, import, commercialisation, and distribution of non-biodegradable plastic packaging since 2014. The measure originates from a Joint Order signed on 24 October 2012 by the Ministries of Environment and Industry, which came into force on 1 April 2014.
Under this regulation, only plastic packaging with a thickness of 61 microns or more is permitted. Any packaging with a thickness of 60 microns or less is subject to prohibition. The policy forms part of national efforts to regulate the use of plastic materials in trade and environmental management.
The Limbe Mobile Customs Brigade continues to operate across key checkpoints in the South West Region, including Karata, where several similar operations have been carried out in recent years. The current seizure adds to ongoing measures aimed at enforcing compliance with Cameroon’s environmental and trade regulations.
Mercy Fosoh
