Customs Seize 41 Containers Worth N1.4bn Expired Drugs

The Nigeria Customs Service has disclosed that it intercepted 41 containers of expired drugs worth N1.4bn between September 2022 and March 2023 in the South-West region.

The Acting Customs Area Controller in charge of the Federal Operations Unit Zone, A, Ikeja, Hussein Ejibunu, revealed this this on Tuesday at the command while handing over the drugs to officials of the National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control.

Ejibunu said the drugs were allegedly imported into the country from India.

He added that five suspects had been arrested in connection with different seizures.

The Customs FOU A boss said that in March alone, the command intercepted N695m worth of contraband cargoes.

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Ejibunnu added that the goods were allegedly being smuggled into the country from the Benin Republic.

“The drugs are expired, illicit and they do not comply with the statutory import requirements. The drugs which were intercepted at different times and locations were constructively warehoused in 39 x 140 ft and 2 x 20 ft containers. They will be handed over to NAFDAC for possible destruction and the seizures have a duty paid value of N1.4bn.”

Ejibunu noted that all the drugs which expired in November 2021, would have found their way into the open market if not intercepted.

Ejibunu added that the unit also intercepted 6,228 bags of foreign parboiled rice.

“The bags of rice is equivalent to 11 trailer loads, 35,325 litres of premium motor spirit and 279 cartons of foreign poultry products.”

“105 parcels (50 kg each) of cannabis sativa, 2 x 40 ft containers said to contain 883 bales of used clothes and eight units of foreign used vehicles were among the seizures.”

The Director of Investigations and Operations of NAFDAC, Mr Francis Ononiwu, described the seizures as a very big one which ordinarily would have found its way into the market.

“We have actually intercepted some of these drugs in the past. We will carry out a detailed investigation to see if the importers are among those on our watch list or if they are new ones.

“The drugs expired in November 2021. If officials of the Nigeria Customs Service did not impound the drugs, those behind the illegal import would have changed the date on the packets,” he added.