By Eniola Idris
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Tincan Island Command in conjunction with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), have intercepted large quantity of pharmaceutical preparations suspected to be hard drugs in a 1×40 ft container with no MSCU 1751320.
The Public Relations Officer of the command, Uche Ejesieme, in a statement said the seizures were made during a routine patrol by officers.
He said: “Relying on the well established collaboration and synergy which is at the base of our standard operating procedure, the NDLEA, acting on intelligence which has been on their radar, notified the Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Abdullah Musa of their strong suspicion that the said container was laden with concealed hard drugs.
“Following the development, the Customs Area Controller directed that the container be transferred to the Enforcement Unit of the command on the 6th of September 2021 where a 100% physical examination was carried out,”
He listed the items found in the container to include:1,506 cartons of Barcadine Codeine; (100 bottles per carton of 100ml) each; 189 Cartons of 100 pcs Per Carton Of Really Extra (pain and fever tablets) and 47 cartons of six packs of three pcs each.
Sequel to this, the container was impounded and would be handed over to the NDLEA in line with section 169 of the customs and excise management Act cap c45 laws of the federal Republic 2004 as amended.
Ejesieme stressed that the renewed and strengthened partnership with sister agencies in the port, has continually yielded expected results and the command will leverage on that to decimate the activities of these criminal gangs and their supply chain.
“It is also pertinent to note that young Nigerians are addicted to Codeine Syrup-a medicine that’s become a street drug, excessive consumption of which can cause Psychosis and Organ Failure,” he stated.
