Customs seizes N16b Tramadol in Lagos alone

By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor

Tramadol worth N16 billion has been seized by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) in Lagos in the past five weeks alone, the latest in a container imported from Pakistan with a street value of about N6 billion.

NCS Appa Area Controller, Comptroller Yusuf Malanta, announced the drugs were concealed with towels but were discovered through the vigilance of officers and “Forensic Manifest Management System” device and handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA)

He said they included “1x20ft container No. PCIU 0183241 laden with eighty-one (81) cartons of 250mg and sixty-nine (69) cartons of 225mg of Tramadol tablets (Each carton contains 72 rolls, each roll contains 10 packs, each pack contains 10 sachets, and each sachet contains 10 tablets) tottaling 150 cartons of Tramadol tablets.”

NDLEA Apapa Commander Ameh Inalegwu, who received the containers, said NDLEA Chairman Buba Marwa expressed great pride in the Apapa Customs boss, according to Vanguard.

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Customs intercepts N10b Tramadol in Apapa

The latest capture came five weeks after NSC Apapa Command announced on 23 June the seizure of Tramadol consignments worth more than N10 billion.

A 20-foot container of the drug in varying brands, pharmacological content, and sizes was picked up at the APM Terminal Apapa, and 150 various brands of Tramadol and other restricted medicaments were intercepted at the Jaelith Bonded Terminal and ESS Libra Terminal Ikorodu, Lagos.

Despite recurring interception of these illegal imports through known ocean carriers and known seaport terminals, the Customs refrains from enforcing the Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA) to prosecute and deter the crime.

NCS Area Controller, Comptroller Yusuf Ibrahim, put the value of the 150 cartons of Tramadol seized at the Jaelith Bonded Terminal and ESS Libra Terminal Ikorodu at N3.7 billion.

But he was silent on the value of the 20ft container of Tramadol with number PCIU 0183241 intercepted at APMT he said was falsely declared as Static Converter and Switches.

He disclosed that another container with registration number TCKU7580597 manifested as Installation Fitting materials was scheduled for on-bond transit to the Kano Inland Container Terminal.

Ibrahim promised that no stone will be left unturned in prosecuting perpetrators of all illegal imports.

Vanguard reports, however, that the NCS has prosecuted fewer than 10 offenders in the past seven years, with only one set of offenders convicted, despite rising drug smuggling and its adverse effects on young Nigerians

According to Yusuf, the port of origin of the 20ft container of Tramadol is Singapore, and those behind the shipment moved the cargo from one country to another, including Hong Kong and China, to cover up their tracks.

He said the content of the container included 69 cartons of 250mg Tramadol and 81 cartons of 250mg Tramadol; and each carton contained 72 rolls of 10 packets each; each packet contained 10 satchels, and each satchel 10 tablets.

“Credible intelligence received on the content of the cargo proved positive and the containers were tracked, traced and intercepted by our officers from the port of loading to the port of destination,” Yusuf recounted.

“This intelligence is mainly received due to the service inter-departmental cooperation, collaboration and synergy within the government agencies in the port. We all know that we cannot do it all alone.

“This is also to reiterate our resolve that any attempt to bring in drugs and any prohibited item through the Apapa Port will be uncovered and the perpetrators of such act shall be made to face the full wrath of the law.”