Apapa Area 1 Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS said it has impounded two 40 foot containers of tramadol drugs imported from India valued at N21.6bn. This is even as the Command disclosed the goods with Free on Board, FOB value of N70.2 billion where exported through the port in the first quarter of the year. Disclosing this in Lagos, Customs Area Controller, CAC of the Command, Auwal Mohammed said that 14 containers of contraband goods comprising vegetable oil, foot-wears, used clothing, unprocessed wood, and tramadol tablets with a Duty Paid Value, DPV of N22 billion were impounded during the period under review.
According to him, “14 containers comprising of prohibited items such as vegetable oil, foot-wears, used clothing, unprocessed wood, and tramadol tablets with a Duty Paid Value of N22 billion. We uncovered a large quantity of 225 milligrams, mg of tramadol tablets concealed in 2x40ft container numbers TRHU 4758549 and TRHU 6936803 where 143,800,000 tablets of Tramadol 225mg were discovered in 720 cartons weighing 10.3 tonnes (10,386kg) that originated from India. This single seizure is valued at N21.6 billion. We are on the look-out for those behind such unlawful importation for arrest and very soon we will track them down to face the full wrath of the law.
“As a Service, we owe Nigerians the duty to prevent this kind of importation from entering the market to safeguard the health of the citizenry.” He also said that the Command “recorded a total revenue collection of N212.6 billion covering the period of January-March 2023.” For export trade, the Customs boss said the Command processed agricultural goods such as Sesame seeds, Ginger, Hibiscus, Mineral resources, Steel ingot and others with a total tonnage of 110,448 metric tonnes in the first quarter of 2023.
