… displays another significant seizures of illicit Drugs, Donkey Skin
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) at Area 2 Command, Onne has reported a total of Five hundred and Fifty Billion, Four hundred and Thirty-One Million, Five hundred and Fifty-Nine thousand, Five hundred and Ninety-Eight naira, Forty-One kobo (₦550,431,559,598.41) in the last 10 months and one week of the year representing 89 per cent of the annual target of 618 Billion given to the Command.
This is just as the Command yet made another significant seizure of twenty 40 feet and one 20 feet containers laden with illicit drugs, which pose a severe threat to public health and safety.
Also seized by the Command is one 20 feet container laden with donkey skin, making a total of 21 containers of illicit drugs and one container of donkey skin.
The Customs Area Controller of the Command, Comptroller Mohammed Babandede while announcing the seizure in a press conference at the Command on Monday, November 11, 2024 said the seizure was made in conjunction with sister agencies; the Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Department of State Services (DSS), Quarantine and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) among others.
He added that this was in line with the Comptroller General of Customs (CGC) Adewale Adeniyi, Policy thrust of consolidation and collaboration in implementing the state of emergency declared by the CGC on the Command in September 2024.
The breakdown according to him includes 2,624,053 bottles of 100ml Cough Syrup Codeine; 7,530,000 tablets of 50mg Really Extra Diclofenac; and 3,500,000 tablets of 5mg Trodol Benzhexol.
It also includes 27,048,900 tablets of 225mg Royal Tapentadol/ Tramadol/Tamolx; 7,665,000 tablets of 200ml fake/counterfeit Gonorrhea Antibiotics without NAFDAC number; 15,600,000 tablets of fake 4mg chlorphenamine; 33,840,00 tablets of 2mg fake Lemotil Loperamine; 19,430 pieces of Chilly cutter used for concealment; and 20,238 pieces of Sanitary Fittings Tap/toilet seat used for concealment.
Also in the containers were 26,400 tubes of 30mg fake Permethrin cream; 480,000 tablets of fake Stapsiril; 112,500 tablets of fake multi mineral supplement; 28 drums of diphenhydramine Hydrochloride ip of 25kg each; 3,388 pieces of waste connector used for concealment and 2,100 pieces of Donkey Skin.
Babandede put the Duty Paid Value of the 21 containers at ₦46,399,119,810, while the Duty paid value for the donkey skin is ₦441,000,000, saying that “the seizures underscore our unwavering commitment to combating illicit medicine and ensuring the safety of the public.
“The implementation of this state of emergency by the CGC has proven effective in enhancing our operational capabilities and ensuring that we can act decisively against those who seek to undermine our nation’s security.”
Going further, the CAC disclosed that the Command under his stewardship this year, including these seizures on display has now made a total seizure of 63 containers comprising 844 Riffles; 112,500 pieces of live ammunition; over 6,469,253 bottles of 100ml syrup with codeine; and over 56,878,900 tablets of 225mg Royal Tapentadol /Tramadol/Tamolx, among others.
The seizures, according to him, were made for violations or contraventions of various Customs laws and breach of procedures as provided under the revised import prohibition guidelines of the Common External Tariff 2022-2026, as well as Sections 233, 234, 235, 245, 246 of Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023.
“The Duty Paid Value of the seizures made so far is ₦130,562,660,407,” he stated.
He also disclosed that in the area of trade facilitation, the Command utilises World Customs Organisation (WCO) trade facilitation to ol; the Time Release Study (TRS) to generate maximum revenue.
To this end, Babadede said the result of utilising this tool within the past months of this year has been unprecedented.
In the area of Export, he said a total of 2,436,408.33 Metric tonnes of goods with a free on board (FOB) value of $826,613,015.87 was processed through the Command.
Concluding the conference, he stated: “Still within the past months of this year, in the area of revenue the Command as at this morning has generated a total revenue of Five hundred and Fifty Billion, Four hundred and Thirty-One Million, Five hundred and Fifty-Nine thousand, Five hundred and Ninety-Eight naira, Forty-One kobo (₦550,431,559,598.41) which translate to 89% of the annual target of 618 Billion given to the Command.”