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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Health & Science

Nigeria Customs Seizes N53.39 Billion Worth of Drugs, Expired Pharmaceuticals

From The Punch · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • Nigeria Customs Service seized nine containers of drugs and counterfeit pharmaceuticals valued at N53.39 billion.
  • The seized items included large quantities of cannabis, codeine syrup, and expired medications.
  • The operation resulted from intelligence gathering and inter-agency collaboration to protect public health and national security.

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has handed over nine containers filled with seized hard drugs, expired, fake, and prohibited pharmaceutical products to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC). The total duty-paid value of the confiscated items is estimated at N53.391 billion.

Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, stated that the seizures were the result of diligent intelligence gathering and inter-agency collaboration. He emphasized the NCS's commitment to protecting public health and national security. The successful operation, carried out by the Apapa Area Command, involved intelligence analysis, scanning, and physical examination in partnership with the NDLEA. This action coincided with the commemoration of the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.

The seizures reflected the outcome of diligent intelligence gathering and inter-agency collaboration aimed at protecting public health and national security.

— Adewale AdeniyiThe Customs-General highlighted the collaborative effort and purpose behind the significant drug seizures.

Among the significant seizures were 3,639 parcels of cannabis weighing 1,819.5 kilograms, concealed with imported vehicles and spare parts in one container. Another container held 9,918 sachets of cannabis, approximately 4.95 metric tonnes, hidden with vehicles and household items. Additionally, 1,700 cartons of codeine syrup were found concealed in one container, with another shipment containing 1,698 cartons of the same substance.

The confiscated items also included 1,300 cartons of expired pharmaceuticals, such as tramadol, and another consignment with expired products like oxytocin injections, Mexclor eye drops, and carbamazepine tablets. Other seized items included cloxicillin capsules, Cynamine 12 Vitamin B12 injections, and Becoline B-Complex injections. Furthermore, a 20-foot container held Piccan teething powder, and another 40-foot container contained 1,100 packages of Chacold chlorpheniramine maleate capsules falsely bearing NAFDAC registration and an early expiry date.

Cumulatively, these nine seizures have a duty-paid value of N53.391 billion only.

— Adewale AdeniyiThis quote quantifies the immense value of the confiscated illegal substances and counterfeit products.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Punch in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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