The Tincan Island command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) in conjunction with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted large quantity of pharmaceutical preparations suspected to be hard drugs during routine examination.
The Customs Public Relations Officer of the command, Uche Ejesieme who disclosed this in a statement said that the consignment was contained in a 1×40 feet container with No MSCU 1751320.
Ejesieme disclosed that relying on the well-established collaboration and synergy which he said was at the base of the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) at the command, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, acting on intelligence which had been on their radar, notified the Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Abdullahi Musa of its strong suspicion that the said container was laden with concealed hard drugs.
He observed that following the development, the Customs Area Controller directed that the container be transferred to the Enforcement Unit of the command on the 6th of September, 2021 where a 100% physical examination was carried out.
He revealed that the outcome of the 100% physical examination showed the following: 1,506 cartons of Barcadine Codeine (100 bottles per carton of 100ml) each, 189 cartons of 100 pcs per carton of Really Extra (pain and fever tablets) and 47 cartons of 6 packs of 3pcs each.
“Sequel to this, the said container was impounded and will be handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency in line with Section 169 of the Customs and Excise Management Act Cap C45 Laws of the Federal Republic 2004 as amended.
“It is instructive to reiterate that the renewed and strengthened partnership with sister agencies in the port has continually yielded expected results and the command will leverage on that to decimate the activities of these criminal gangs and their supply chain.
“It is also pertinent to note that young Nigerians are addicted to Codeine Syrup – a medicine that’s become a street drug, excessive consumption of which can cause psychosis and organ failure”, he said.
Photo: Comptroller Musa Baba Abdullahi, Customs Area Controller, Tincan Island Port command.
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