Comptroller Nnadi addressing the press and flanked by the NDLEA official, Michel Ofoyeju and others.
Story by Dili Utomi.
The meticulous efforts of the Nigeria Customs Service occasioned by the quality leadership currently provided by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi has continued to result in spectacular performances across the Service. This much has been said by officers across different Units and Commands as record performances are churned out every month.
The Tin Can Island Port Command of the Service with Comptroller Dera Anselm Nnadi at the helms Thursday called a press briefing to detail some of their activities. The Customs Area Controller while speaking at the briefing noted that, “16 containers were discharged from May 17 to October 23, 2024.
Drugs Imported:
Codeine-based products: Numerous shipments of cough syrups with codeine; Barcadin with Codeine, Broncleer with Codeine, and DSP with Codeine for throat and chesty cough (100ml, 200 bottles per carton). Tapentadol & Carisoprodol: 420 cartons of Royal 225 (Tapentadol HVCL 125mg and Carisoprodol BP 100mg). Benzhexol Tablets: 200 cartons of 5mg Benzhexol Tablets (Brand: Trodal)”.
“Cannabis Indica: 77 packets (38.5kg), 532 packets (265.025kg), and 75 packets (37.5kg).
Diclofenac Sodium Tablets: Really Extra brand (50mg, 100 packs per carton).
Other goods: Ceiling fans, Deluxe Chilli Cutters, stainless steel blenders, Biomal Artesunate Injection”.
“Vessels of Importation:
SpilKartika (Hapag Lloyd, voyage No. 2417W)
Volana (Hapag Lloyd, voyage Nos. 2416W, 2421W), Maliako (Hapag Lloyd, voyage No. 2421W), WadiBani Khalid (Hapag Lloyd, voyage Nos. 2423W), MSC Sweden VI and MSC Katyayni NY427A”.
“Countries of Origin:
India (Barcadin, Diclofenac Tablets, Benzhexol, CSP with Codeine)
United Kingdom (BiomalArtesunate Injection)
Canada (Cannabis Indica)”.
“These containers were inspected by multiple enforcement agencies including Customs, NDLEA, and NAFDAC”. He added.
Comptroller Nnadi stated “Recall that on October 2, 2024, the Tincan Island Port Command officially Recall that on October 2, 2024, the Tincan Island Port Command officially handed over 684 packets of Cannabis Indica, weighing a total of 341.025 kg, with an estimated street value of ₦682,050,000.00. These narcotics were discovered in three 40ft containers Nos: MSMU 518030/2, MSMU 602957/0, and FSCU 927461/3), as part of our ongoing efforts to strengthen interagency collaboration and coordination”.
Some of the seized containers.
“Consequently, we are handing over an additional 13 Containers of Unregistered Pharmaceutical products to NAFDAC. Total Duty Paid Value for the 16 containers is approximately N37, 000,000,000.00 (Thirty Seven Billion Naira Only) with details as follows:
Tramadol – 920 cartons in 2x40FT containers worth N23B
Codeine – 1,894,600 bottles in 11x40FT containers worth N13B
Cannabis Indica- 341kg in 3X40 containers worth N682M”.
Crucially, in performance of one of its mandates of revenue generation, the Command also hauled in the sum of One Trillion, Forty Six Billion, Four Hundred and Ninety Six Million, Five Hundred and Ninety Three Thousand, One Hundred and Three Naira Sixty Kobo (₦1,046,496,593,103.60). This figure is more than Three Hundred Billion Naira over the amount generated over the corresponding period of 2023 and this is the first time that the Command is reaching the One Trillion Naira milestone in its history.
The Tin Can Island Port Commander of the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Michel J. Ofoyeju also spoke at the event as the hard drugs content of the seizure were handed over to the agency. He noted that “The sustained synergy among the sister agencies coupled with their resolve to continue to deal heavy blows to the pockets of these illegitimate traders have resulted in these seizures and this will continue”.
At the question and answer session, Comptroller Nnadi informed the journalists that collaborative efforts geared towards nipping these illegitimate importation of illicit substances in the bud are ongoing between the Nigeria Customs Service, the government of the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.
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