Harboursandport.com: Lagos - Apapa Area 1 Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) in collaboration with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), yesterday intercepted a 40-foot container loaded with 20 cartons of a new variant of tramadol drugs imported from India and valued at N1.6 billion.
Customs Area Comptroller, CAC of Apapa Command, Compt Yusuf Malanta, while showcasing the seizure at the Classic Bonded Terminal at Ago Palace Way, Festac Lagos said the Command has been monitoring the movement which arrived country since July 3, 2022.
Malanta said the container was declared as Chocolates, but on examination, officers discovered cartons of Ok POP sweets. The drugs were carefully hidden at the back of the container.
The Customs boss commended officers of the Classic terminal, even as he reiterated that the synergy between the Customs and the NDLEA is yielding positive results.
Malanta who gave a breakdown of the consignments explained that it came in 225 milligrams and 120 milligrams respectively.
According to him, “The importer cleverly concealed the drugs at the back of the container, just to undermine our officers. We found out that he had 20 cartons of the drugs. Each of the 225mg had 838,500 tablets. For the 120mg, there are 90,10,000 tablets.
“These drugs are deadlier than the normal tramadol, you can imagine the havoc it would cause if it had escaped into the market. You can agree with me that most of the criminal actions taking place today in our society are a result of the consumption of these types of drugs.
“Therefore, whoever is importing these kinds of drugs, we are telling him today that our collaboration efforts are fully informed and we cannot relent.
“The container has been in the port since July 3rd, 2022, moving from the mother port down here, the importer is trying to buy time maybe he can escape our watch, but Behold, we are really on top of our game and we would continue being on top of our game.
“The
joint corporation with the NDLEA and other agencies around here has
yielded a fruitful result for the command.
“We
thank God for giving us the wisdom to track and seize these kinds of
drugs because it contravenes sections 64, 46, and 47 CEMA Act.
“I
am advising the importer to please desist from these kinds of
importation, it is harmful to humans.
We would trail this
importer, and with the help of our officers here, we would bring him
to book and ensure he is treated accordingly”
Compt Malanta noted that due to the unrelenting stance of the Customs and its a collaboration with NDLEA, Tramadol drugs now find it very difficult to come into the country and that the supply is now very difficult, compared to previous years.
Even though arrests were not made on the seizure, Malanta assured that the investigation is ongoing, and customs already have a substantial amount of evidence on the people involved in the importation.
Also speaking, the Commander of NDLEA in charge of Apapa Command, Ishiaku Yusuf Kwajaffa said that the milligrams written on the drugs were just a cover-up, adding that the Tapentadol is three times more potent than the normal tramadol.
He also said that the new variant is new to the NDLEA and that this is the first time the agency is coming across it.
“The 120mg written on the drugs is just a cover, the potency of the drugs is there times higher than the normal tramadol. This particular brand is new to us, this is the first time we are coming across the drugs.
“The twenty billion cartons is worth N1.560 billion. Each carton of tramadol is worth N78 million, but we have made it so scarce for them” he said.
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