Some banned and expired drugs valued at N84.9 billion have been smuggled into the country through the TinCan Island, Apapa and Onne Ports in the last 10 months.

They were jointly intercepted by Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).

It was gathered that most of the drugs were ferried by the cartels from China, Canada, Brazil, India and the United Kingdom.

Findings from United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) revealed that Illegal shipments of cocaine estimated at $1.8 billion transits Tincan Island, Lagos and Onne ports annually, making the nation’s seaports a major transshipment hub of illegal drugs.

According to Nigeria Customs Service Controller, Area II Command, Onne Port, Mohammed Babandede, 21 containers of illicit drugs valued at N46.39 billion were intercepted through a combination of intelligence gathering, interagency collaboration and meticulous physical examination.

He said: “The Command working with sister agencies such as NDLEA, Department of State Security (DSS), Quarantine and NAFDAC among others in implementing the state of emergency, has made yet another significant seizure of 20 40 feet and one 20 feet containers laden with illicit drugs, which pose a severe threat to public health and safety.”

At Onne Port, he explained that Customs intercepted 2.62 millionbottles of 100ml cough syrup codeine; 7.53 million tablets of 50mg Really Extra Diclofenac; 3.5 million tablets of 5mg Trodol Benzhexol; 27.05 million tablets of 225mg Royal Tapentadol/ Tramadol/Tamolx; 7.67 million tablets of 200ml fake/ counterfeit Gonorrhea Antibiotics without NAFDAC number.

Others are 15.60 million tablets of fake 4mg chlorphenamine and 33.84 million tablets of 2mg fake Lemotil Loperamine; 19,430 pieces of Chilly cutter used for concealment; 26,400 tubes of 30mg fake Permethrin cream; 480,000 tablets of fake Stapsiril; 112,500 tablets of fake multi mineral supplement; 28 drums of diphenhydramine Hydrochloride ip of 25kg each.

Similarly, the Apapa Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) handed over six containers containing falsely declared and expired pharmaceutical and controlled products to the National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) valued at over N1.5 billion.

The Area Controller of the command, Comptroller Babatunde Olomu noted that the command also handed over six containers carrying falsely declared and unwholesome pharmaceutical and controlled products to the National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control, (NAFDAC) and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

Also, the Tin-Can Island Command of the service intercepted N37 billion worth of unregistered pharmaceuticals and handed over the drugs to the officials of the NDLEA and NAFDAC in Lagos.

The consignments, intercepted at the Lagos Port between January and October 2024, were imported into Nigeria from Canada, India and the United Kingdom.

The Customs Area Controller, Tin-Can Island Command, Dera Nnadi, said that the owners carefully concealed 929 cartons of Tramadol in two 40FT containers and cannabis indica in three 40ft containers.

Nnadi explained that the Tramadol was valued N23 billion, while the 1,895,60/ bottles of Codeine is N13billion and the cannabis indica is valued at N682million.

The narcotics which were discovered in three 40ft were part of ongoing efforts to strengthen interagency collaboration and coordination. He explained that the command would deploy all necessary resources and strategies at its disposal to check the menace of illegal importation of unregistered pharmaceutical products into the country.

He said: “Aware that yuletide is around the corner, I wish to reassure all our stakeholders that the Command will partner with those who are compliant to ensure there are no delays in their cargo delivery.

Similarly, we are also using this opportunity to inform those who will dare our resolve that we are ready to enforce the requirements of our law.”

Worried by the influx of illicit drugs to the port, NDLEA Tin Can Island Port Command, Mitchell Ofoyeju reaffirmed their commitment to enforcing strict regulations and combating illicit drug trafficking at the ports.

Ofoyeju said:“Imagine the cost to the society, to individuals and to families if these drugs had escaped our watchful eyes. “It’s either they turn away from their criminality or they will have their illicit substances seized, and their huge financial investments will go down the drain.”

Also he noted that the NDLEA’s plans to trace the financial assets of traffickers to ensure that any illicit wealth accumulated is confiscated and returned to the Federal Government.

He added: “It is pertinent to note that since the beginning of the year 2024, we have apprehended a total of 37 suspects, comprising 34 males and 3 females, and we have also secured over 20 convictions with a seizure of over 330,835.79 kilogrammes of various assorted drugs.”

The Commander attributed this success to the strategic partnerships between the Customs Service, the NDLEA, and other security agencies, which have contributed to better intelligence gathering and operational effectiveness.

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