Customs Seizes N20.5bn Worth of Illicit Drugs, Other Products in Rivers 

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt 

The Nigeria Customs Service has seized 16 containers of illicit pharmaceutical products and other harmful products worth over N20.5billion in Rivers State.

The Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, disclosed this yesterday, during a handover of the illicit drugs to the Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, at the Port Harcourt II Area Command, Onne, in Rivers.

Speaking, Adeniyi who is also the Chairman, World Customs Organisation (WCO), said NCS maintains steadfast commitment to President Bola Tinubu’s administration’s policy objectives of securing the nation’s borders, protecting public health, and safeguarding national security. 

He said the NCS anti-smuggling operations align directly with the administration’s comprehensive approach to combating transnational organised crime and ensuring that Nigeria’s borders remain impenetrable to criminal enterprises seeking to compromise our sovereignty.

Adeniyi revealed that “Our strategic partnerships with sister agencies, including the NAFDAC), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), and the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), operate under established Memoranda of Understanding and joint operational frameworks that have demonstrably enhanced our enforcement capabilities.”

Speaking further, the NCS boss stated that “The Command has successfully intercepted a total of sixteen (16) containers with an aggregate Duty Paid Value of N20,549,998,200 as calculated in accordance with Service valuation protocols.”

Analysing the achievement recorded, the CG of Customs said “These seizures reveal sophisticated concealment tactics and systematic attempts to circumvent established import protocols. Eleven containers were found to contain illicit pharmaceutical products comprising: 1,301,000 bottles of Codeine Syrup (100ml each), 9,300,000 tablets of Really Extra Diclofenac, 12,600,000 tablets of Royal Tapentadol/Tramadol (225mg each), 3,500,000 tablets of Trodol (5mg each), 210,000 tablets of Hyergra (200mg each), 717,360 tablets of Bisoveu and 2,200,000 tablets of Bassuka (50mg each).”

He said the contraband items were strategically concealed within legitimate consumer goods including 9,280 pieces of chilly cutters, 118 pieces of ceiling fans, 2,610 pieces of plumbing materials, 2, 268 pieces of Smart Tech vehicle parts, 97,200 tins of tomato paste, and 700 cartons of cream. 

Adeniyi, who noted that the potential impact of the illicit pharmaceuticals on public health and national security cannot be overstated, said “Unregulated pharmaceutical products pose severe risks including drug addiction, compromised treatment outcomes, and the facilitation of organised criminal activities that threaten community safety and national stability.”

He however, commended all officers and men of the Port Harcourt II Area Command who, through their vigilance, professionalism, and dedication to duty, successfully executed what he described as complex interdictions. “Their actions exemplify the core values of the Service and demonstrate our collective commitment to protecting Nigeria’s borders and citizens.”

He reaffirmed NCS commitment to supporting President Tinubu’s security and economic transformation agenda through enhanced border management, strengthened inter-agency collaboration, and sustained anti-smuggling operations. 

“We shall deploy all resources at our disposal to ensure that Nigeria’s borders remain secure against those who would compromise our national health security and economic prosperity for criminal gain.”

He also warned that “all criminal networks attempting to use our borders for illicit activities: the Nigeria Customs Service, in partnership with sister agencies, maintains zero tolerance for smuggling operations and will pursue the full weight of the law against all perpetrators.”

Receiving the intercepted containers, the Director General of NAFDAC, Prof. Adeyeye, said the handover 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 and 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 in his welcome address Comptroller of Nigerian Customs, Area II Command, Onne, 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).

Babandede said the Command was able to achieve the feat due to the excellent collaborative effort as established by the current Comptroller-General of Customs