From Victor Edozie Port Harcourt
The Port Harcourt Area 11 Command of the Nigeria Customs , Onne in Rivers State has intercepted a total of sixteen (16) containers laden with illicit drugs with an aggregate Duty Paid Value of
₦20,549,998,20.
Displaying the impounded containers to Journalists at Onne, on Friday, the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi said 11 containers were found to contain illicit pharmaceutical products comprising: a. 1,301,000 bottles of Codeine Syrup , 9,300,000 tablets of Really Extra Diclofenac, 12,600,000 tablets of Royal Tapentadol/Tramadol ,3,500,000 tablets of Trodol , 210,000 tablets of Hyergra (200mg each) , 717,360 tablets of Bisoveu and 2,200,000 tablets of Bassuka.
Adeniyi said the contraband items were strategically concealed within legitimate consumer goods including 9,280 pieces of chilly cutters, 118 pieces of ceiling fans, 2,610 pieces of plumbing materials, 2,268 pieces of Smart Tech vehicle parts, 97,200 tins of tomato paste, and 700 cartons of cream.
Adeniyi said the modus operandi applied by the conveyor of the illicit drugs represents calculated attempts to exploit legitimate trade channels while evading regulatory scrutiny.
He said, “Our strategic partnerships with sister agencies, including the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), and the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), operate under established Memoranda of Understanding and joint operational frameworks that have demonstrably enhanced our enforcement capabilities.
“Pursuant to Section 246 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023 and in exercise of powers conferred therein, the Port Harcourt II Area Command has executed a series of targeted interdictions that underscore our operational effectiveness in protecting Nigerian citizens from the infiltration of prohibited substances.
“The Command has successfully intercepted a total of sixteen (16) containers with an aggregate Duty Paid Value of Twenty Billion, Five Hundred and Fortynine Million, Nine Hundred and Ninety-nine Thousand, Two Hundred Naira
(₦20,549,998,200) as calculated in accordance with Service valuation protocols.
“Analysis of these seizures reveals sophisticated concealment tactics and systematic attempts to circumvent established import protocols. Eleven (11) containers were found to contain illicit pharmaceutical products comprising: a. 1,301,000 bottles of Codeine Syrup (100ml each) b. 9,300,000 tablets of Really Extra Diclofenac c. 12,600,000 tablets of Royal Tapentadol/Tramadol (225mg each) d. 3,500,000 tablets of Trodol (5mg each) e. 210,000 tablets of Hyergra (200mg each) f. 717,360 tablets of Bisoveu g. 2,200,000 tablets of Bassuka (50mg each)
“The contraband items were strategically concealed within legitimate consumer goods including 9,280 pieces of chilly cutters, 118 pieces of ceiling fans, 2,610 pieces of plumbing materials, 2,268 pieces of Smart Tech vehicle parts, 97,200 tins of tomato paste, and 700 cartons of cream. This modus operandi represents calculated attempts to exploit legitimate trade channels while evading regulatory scrutiny.”
He said the Nigeria Customs Service maintains steadfast commitment to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration’s policy objectives of securing the nation’s borders, protecting public health, and safeguarding national security.
He said its anti-smuggling operations align directly with the administration’s comprehensive approach to combating transnational organized crime and ensuring that Nigeria’s borders remain impenetrable to criminal enterprises seeking to compromise our sovereignty.
He said that the Service has intensified intelligence-led enforcement across all commands, particularly focusing on high-risk corridors and ports of entry.
He warned suspected criminal networks attempting to use Nigeria’s borders for illicit activities that the Nigeria Customs Service, in partnership with sister agencies will maintains zero tolerance for smuggling operations and will pursue the full weight of the law against all perpetrators.
