NAFDAC Receives N20.5bn Illicit Drugs from Customs
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Port Harcourt 2 Area Command, Onne, has handed over 16 containers loaded with illicit pharmaceutical products, valued at over N20.5bn, to officers of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
In a statement on Sunday, the National Public Relations Officer of the service, Abdullahi Maiwada, explained that the interception of the containers was made weeks after the NCS and NAFDAC set up a committee to implement the 2024 Memorandum of Understanding, aimed at deepening regulatory collaboration among the two agencies and other security outfits.
Speaking during the event, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, attributed the successful operation to intelligence-driven enforcement and the renewed synergy among national security and regulatory bodies.
Adeniyi emphasised that the anti-smuggling operations align with President Bola Tinubu’s policy on border security, public health, and national safety, stressing that the service remains committed to ensuring that criminal elements do not exploit Nigeria’s borders.
He explained that the smugglers attempted to disguise the illicit drugs as regular imports such as tomato paste, ceiling fans, and plumbing materials, employing what he described as “sophisticated concealment tactics.”
“Items seized from the 16 containers included 1.3 million bottles of codeine syrup (100ml each), 9.3 million tablets of Really Extra Diclofenac. Others include 12.6 million tablets of Royal Tramadol (225mg), other unregistered and dangerous pharmaceuticals, including Trodol, Hyergra, Bisoveu, and Bassuka,” the CGC said.
According to him, the seizure sends a clear message to criminal networks that the NCS, in partnership with other law enforcement agencies, maintains zero tolerance for smuggling.
“We will bring the full weight of the law to bear on all perpetrators,” Adeniyi warned. He stated that the intercepted containers were officially handed over to Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, the Director-General of NAFDAC, for regulatory action by due process.
The Customs Area Controller of PH 2 Onne Command, Muhammed Babandede, described the event as brief but historic. He highlighted the critical role of institutional collaboration in achieving the seizure, particularly the contributions of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, the Department of State Services, and the Office of the National Security Adviser.
“The seizure involved eleven 40-foot containers of illicit medicines, four micro containers of bottled water, and one container of salt. This success reflects the strength of our collaboration, which aligns with the service’s policy of unity through cooperation, consolidation, and innovation,” Babandede stated.
While receiving the containers, NAFDAC boss, Adeyeye, commended the vigilance of the NCS and its partner agencies, stressing the public health threat posed by the illicit consignment.
“Frankly, it was shocking. These products could destroy lives: codeine, tramadol, and counterfeit painkillers. The fact that some were hidden in tomato paste shows clear criminal intent. This isn’t business; this is murder for profit,” she said.
She confirmed that all seized items would undergo comprehensive regulatory procedures, including laboratory testing, documentation, and destruction.
“We are World Health Organisation certified, with international-standard laboratories and well-trained personnel. These products will never make it into the Nigerian market,” Adeyeye affirmed.
She warned importers of falsified medicines, branding them as merchants of death and reiterating that Nigeria would not serve as a dumping ground for substandard or unapproved pharmaceutical products.