Customs intercepts 12 containers of Tramadol, machetes at Apapa Port

The Apapa Port Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has intercepted 12 containers laden with Tramadol, expired drugs and 27, 540 pieces of cutlasses and machetes with a duty-paid value of N1.8 billion.

Comptroller-General of Customs Bashir Adeniyi made this known while unveiling the contraband in Lagos on Thursday.

He pointed out that the expired pharmaceutical products were imported without undergoing the necessary regulatory requirements.

He further said that some of the drugs did not obtain National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, numbers.

“We also have containers that were seized due to false declarations, ostensibly to evade duty payments, which amount to smuggling.

“In total, 12 containers have been seized with a duty-paid value worth N1.8 billion.

“These importations are in flagrant violation of Section 233 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act (NCSA) 2023,” he said.

Adeniyi said that another 20-foot container with expired pharmaceutical products was found to contain cartons of Royal Tramadol 225mg concealed with expired cartons of analgesics, antiseptics, and anti-inflammatory tablets without a NAFDAC number.

According to the customs boss, the 20-foot container was also found to contain rolls of Tramadol 225mg concealed with expired cartons of Zokomol and Diclofenac, pharmaceutical products without a NAFDAC registration number.