Seme Customs intercepts N1.4 billion tramadol

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Seme Area Command said it has intercepted some items suspected to be tramadol capsules concealed in adult diapers in a container.

Spokesman of the command, Hussain Abdulahi, said the items have a duty paid value of about N1.45 billion and were seized in a container marked MRKU 9090415.

He quoted the Customs Area Controller, Bello Jibo, as saying that the container was handed over to the command on Nov. 15 by the Republic of Benin.

“On December 20, Seme Customs Service invited other security agencies and stakeholders to witness the examination of the said container. The items discovered during 100 percent examination are 200 packages of adult diapers, 100 cartoons of Gabadol 120mg suspected to be tramadol equivalent to 360kg.

“The diapers were smartly arranged at the front of the container while the drugs were at the back. I directed that samples be taken out officially and handed over to the National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to ascertain and confirm the drugs.

“Consequently, the Command has also initiated a full-scale investigation to fish out those involved in this illicit importation,” he said.

He said the investigation has commenced while no suspect has been arrested in connection with the seizure.

While warning perpetrators of unlawful activities to avoid the Command or meet their Waterloo, the Customs Area Controller said officers and men of the Command are not losing guards at ensuring that smuggling under any guise is brought to the barest minimum and facilitation of legitimate trade remains cardinal objectives of the Command.