The Nigeria Customs Service’s Area 2 Command in Onne, Rivers State, intercepted containers of unlawfully imported medicines, including counterfeit tablets worth more than N46.399 billion.
The command also announced that it had earned more than N500 billion in income so far in 2024.
Comptroller Mohammed Ndede, Customs Area Controller for Area 2 Command in Onne, said this at a media event on Monday, where he showed journalists the seized medicines and tablets.
Ndede remarked that it had been exactly two months and seven days after the Controller General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, visited Onne Port to demonstrate a number of important seizures, including rifles and ammunition confiscated by command officers.
He stated, “The security concern arising from the series of contraband seizures at this port led to the declaration of a three-month state of emergency, granting the Command authority to scrutinise all suspected containers, regardless of whether their owners are present.”
Commissioner Ndede noted that the proactive strategy was designed to ensure that no illegal drugs escaped detection.
He added, “In line with the Controller General of Customs’ policy of consolidation and collaboration, more successes have been recorded.
“The Command, working with sister agencies such as the NDLEA, DSS, Quarantine, and NAFDAC, among others, in implementing the state of emergency, has made yet another significant seizure of twenty 40-foot and one 20-foot container filled with illicit drugs that pose a serious threat to public health and safety.
“Additionally, we have a 20-foot container laden with donkey skins.”
The Customs Area 2 Command, One Controller, reported the breakdown as follows: 2,624,053 bottles of 100ml cough syrup codeine and 7,530,000 pills of 50mg Really Extra Diclofenac.
Ndede also included 3,500,000 tablets of 5 mg Trodol Benzhexol, 27,048,900 tablets of 225 mg Royal Tapentadol/Tamil, and 7,665,000 counterfeit 200 mg Gonorrhoea antibiotics without a NAFDAC number.
Continuing, Comptroller Ndede disclosed, “The Duty Paid Value of the 21 containers totals N46,399,199,810, while the Duty Paid Value for the donkey skins is N441,000,000.”
He stated that the recovered items were stopped at the entry point by watchful officers and that some of the drugs were hidden beneath plumbing materials and local grinding tools to avoid detection.
Ndede stated that these seizures demonstrate the Command’s persistent commitment to combating illicit narcotics and maintaining public safety.
Ndede added, “The implementation of this state of emergency by the CGC has proven effective in enhancing our operational capabilities and ensuring we can act decisively against those who seek to undermine our nation’s security.”
“Regarding anti-smuggling activities, under my stewardship this year, including the latest seizures displayed here, we have made a total of 63 container seizures, including 844 rifles and 112,500 rounds of live ammunition,” among others.
He stated that the duty-paid value of seizures made thus far for violations of various customs rules and procedural norms totals N130,562,660,407.
Ndede further stated that exports have an important role in encouraging Nigerian economic growth, creating jobs, and maintaining a favourable trade balance and exchange rate for the naira against the dollar.
“In this command, a total of 2,436,408.33 metric tonnes of goods, with a free-on-board value of $826,613,015.87, have been processed,” he stated.
On revenue generation this year, Ndede said, “As of this morning, the Command has generated total revenue of N550,431,559,598.41 billion.
“This translates to 89 percent of the annual target of N618 billion set for the Command.”
The Customs boss also announced that two suspects had been arrested in connection with the current seizures and that investigations are underway.
The ceremony finished with the handover of seized materials to relevant agencies, including the NDLEA and Quarantine, with items meant for NAFDAC being delivered at a later date.
