Following a state of emergency declared on all importations through Onne Port in Rivers State by the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, men of the service at the port have intercepted and seized 20 units of 40ft containers laden with controlled and expired drugs and one 20ft container loaded with donkey skin.
The Controller of Onne Port Area 2 Command, Comptroller Mohammed Babandede said the massive seizures were a product of effective collaboration with sister agencies at the port.
He said: “The Command working with sister agencies such as NDLEA, DSS, Quarantine and NAFDAC among others in implementing the state of emergency, has made yet another significant seizure of 20 40feet laden with illicit drugs, which pose a severe threat to public health and safety, as well as one 20feet container laden with donkey skin.
“The breakdown is as follows:
a. 2,624,053 bottles of 100ml Cough Syrup Codeine
b. 7,530,000 tablets of 50mg Really Extra Diclofenac
c. 3,500,000 tablets of 5mg Trodol Benzhexol
d. 27,048,900 tablets of 225mg Royal Tapentadol/ Tramadol/Tamolx
e. 7,665,000 tablets of 200ml fake/counterfeit Gonorrhea Antibiotics without NAFDAC number
e. 15,600,000 tablets of fake 4mg chlorphenamine
f. 33,840,00 tablets of 2mg fake Lemotil Loperamine
b. 19,430 pieces of Chilly cutter used for concealment
e. 20,238 pieces of Sanitary Fittings Tap/toilet seat used for concealment
f. 26,400 tubes of 30mg fake Permethrin cream
g. 480,000 tablets of fake Stapsiril
h. 112,500 tablets of fake multi mineral supplement
i. 28 drums of diphenhydramine Hydrochloride ip of 25kg each
j. 3,388 pieces of waste connector used for concealment
k. 2,100 pieces of Donkey Skin.
Comptroller Mohammed Babandede addressing the press at Onne Port on Monday.
“The Duty paid Value of the twenty-one containers totals ₦46,399,119,810, while the Duty paid value for the donkey skin is ₦441,000,000. These seizures underscore our unwavering commitment to combatting 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.”
Still on anti-smuggling activities, Babandede said the Command under his stewardship this year, has made a total seizure of 63 containers comprising of:
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 among others 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.
Samples of some of illicit drugs seized at Onne Port showcased on Monday.
“The Duty Paid Value of the seizures made so far is ₦130,562,660,407. In the area of Trade facilitation, the Command utilizes World Customs Organization trade facilitation tool to generate maximum revenue which is the Time Release Study (TRS). The result of utilizing this tool within the past months of this year has been unprecedented,” he said.
In the area of export, he said the Command has processed a total of 2.43 million metric tonnes of goods with a free on board (FOB) value of $826.6 million.He also disclosed that the command has generated a total revenue of N550.43 billion since January 2024, representing 89% of the command’s annual target of N618 billion.
