The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Onne Area II Command, has intercepted 20 containers laden with illicit drugs and contraband goods valued at over N13 billion.
Outgoing Comptroller of the command, Mr. Muhammad Babandede, disclosed this on Wednesday in Onne while handing over the seizures. Babandede, who was recently promoted to Assistant Comptroller General and redeployed to Lagos, described the operation as his parting assignment at the command.
He reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to safeguarding public health and safety, lamenting that some individuals continue to abuse illicit medicines without professional guidance.
“For instance, Codeine syrup and Tramadol may be abused because of their euphoric effect, which often leads to addiction, drug dependence, and crime,” he said.
Babandede revealed that the seizures included over one million bottles of Codeine syrup, more than three million tablets of Diclofenac, three million tablets of Benzhexol, and several cartons of laboratory equipment, among others.
According to him, the drugs were imported from India and targeted at the Nigerian market. He explained that the smugglers concealed the shipments under the guise of legitimate imports, adding that collaboration with sister agencies was crucial to the successful interception.
“Other items discovered in the containers include chili cutters, cartons of bench vices, ceiling fans, plumbing materials, tomato paste, bales of used clothing, and agricultural equipment,” he added.
Babandede formally handed over the illicit medicines and consumables to operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), stressing the damaging impact of drug trafficking on national security and public wellbeing.
