An attempt by a drug trafficker to smuggle 80 packs of a contraband drug called Otravin into the country was foiled by men of the Nigeria Customs Serviice and other sister agencies at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano in the early hours of Sunday.
Spokesman of the Kano/Jigawa Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Saidu Nuruddeen confirmed the incident to The Nigerian Economy on Monday. He however attributed the interception to a brilliant result of inter-agency collaboration against smuggling and drug trafficking at the airport.
“At approximately 01:00hrs today (Sunday), a passenger arriving from Cairo via Ethiopian Airlines flight ET941 was intercepted during a joint security check. The examination of the passenger’s luggage revealed 241 empty packages of OTRAVIN and 80 pieces of OTRAVIN nasal drops,” Nuruddeen said.
He hinted that the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), a key partner in the joint security check, had requested for the seized items, particularly the nasal drops and in accordance with due process, the items had been detained, and a smooth transfer to NAFDAC was being facilitated.
“This successful operation is a testament to the effectiveness of inter-agency collaboration and the commitment of our personnel to combating smuggling and ensuring national security.
“The Customs Area Controller, Compt Dauda Ibrahim Chana commends the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, and his management team for their leadership and support as always. He equally appreciated the dedication and professionalism of the personnel of the service and those of NDLEA, NAFDAC, and NQS who worked together to achieve this remarkable outcome,” he added.
He said the Kano/Jigawa Area Command remained committed to protecting the nation’s borders and ensuring the safety and well-being of our citizens.
