The Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, has seized illicit drugs worth over N20.5b at the Area II Command, Onne, Rivers State.
The seized drugs include codeine syrup, Reny Extra Dichlorphenic Phantamac, and Panadol. The NCS said the products were seized through collaborative efforts with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
Comptroller-General of Customs and Chair of the World Customs Organisation (WCO), Bashir Adeniyi, while handing over the seized products to the NAFDAC Director-General, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, at Onne Port, Rivers State, on Friday, said the drugs were concealed in 11 containers of legitimate consumer goods.
He said, “The command has successfully intercepted a total of 16 containers with an aggregate duty paid value of twenty billion, five hundred and forty nine million, nine hundred and ninety nine thousand, two hundred naira only. (N20,549,999,200.00), as calculated in accordance with service valuation protocols.
“An analysis of these seizures reveals sophisticated concealment practice and a systematic attempt to circumvent established import protocols. Eleven of the containers were found to contain illicit pharmaceutical products comprising one million three hundred thousand (1,301,000) bottles of codeine syrup, nine million, three hundred thousand (9,300,000) products of reny extra dychlophenic fantamac, twelve million, six hundred (12,600,000) products of royal dacencapel/Panadol in the category of 225mg, 3,500,000 products of trodon in 5mg each, 210,000 products of ayezua in 200mg, and 717,316 products of Binsovo-G and 2,200,000 products of Basuka in 450mg each.
“All of these forbidden items were strategically concealed within legitimate consumer goods, and the items used to conceal them include: 9,280 pieces of tree cutters, 180 pieces of ceiling fans, 2,610 pieces of plumbing materials, 2,268 pieces of smart tech vehicle bags, 97,200 tins of tomato pastes and 700 cartons of cream.”
Adeniyi disclosed that the implementation of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) entered into among the NCS, NAFDAC, and the Office of the National Security Agency made the feat possible.
He said: “About two weeks ago in Abuja, Nigeria Customs Service and NAFDAC took one major step to begin the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that has been consummated between the two agencies in November 2024. This committee was set up to serve as the major arrowhead to superintend and manage our joint option against illegal importation of unregistered products into the country. I’m happy that two weeks into this, this is the second time that we are coming out to jointly inspect and hand over goods that have offended the various laws, particularly goods that are not registered and fake products.”
The CCG criticised the possible effects of illicit pharmaceuticals on public health and national security, emphasising that unregistered pharmaceutical products pose serious risks, including drug addiction, compromised health outcomes, and the facilitation of organised criminal activities that threaten community safety and national stability.
He praised the Area II command and its operatives who, through their vigilance and dedication to duty, achieved the seizures, while reaffirming the NCS’s commitment to the Bola Tinubu security and transformation agenda via enhanced border management, intelligence collaboration, and sustained anti-smuggling operations.
Receiving the intercepted containers, the Director-General of NAFDAC, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, stated that the receipt of the illicit and unregistered pharmaceutical products was a strong demonstration of the partnership between the two to safeguard public health and uphold the highest standards of consumer protection.
Adeyeye said: “Today’s handover ceremony represents not just an act of administrative duty but a strong demonstration of the partnership between Nigerian Customs Service and NAFDAC to safeguard public health and uphold the highest standards of consumer protection.
“A few days ago, the Comptroller General of Customs was at our head office in Abuja in his drive to explore better ways of collaboration in the fight against the importation of fake, substandard and falsified NAFDAC-regulated products. Just last week, we were there at Apapa Port to receive for destruction, 25 containers of unwholesome medical devices.”
Earlier, the Comptroller of Nigerian Customs, Area II Command, Mohammed Babandede, said the containers were intercepted in collaboration with other security agencies, including the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the Department of State Services (DSS).
