SEME CUSTOMS COMMAND INTERCEPTS TRUCK WITH UNREGISTERED PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS

SEME CUSTOMS COMMAND INTERCEPTS TRUCK  WITH UNREGISTERED PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS

Kathy Kyari 

The Nigeria Customs Service, Seme Area Command in Badagry has confiscated several unregistered pharmaceutical products and made sizable seizure of about 553 parcels of Cannabis Sativa which was later handed over to the officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA.

The Customs Area Controller, Seme Area Command, Comptroller Dera Nnadi,  revealed this while addressing journalists at Seme Area Command, said  he has pledged to adopt new strategies that could boost trade while enforcing the nation’s anti-smuggling laws. upon his resumption as the Area Controller 

Comptroller Nnadi said his officers and men make a remarkable achievements recorded by the command  because they  keyed into the reform policies since his assumption as the Area Controller in January this year.

Controller Nnadi affirmed that on the 9th of May 2023 at about 0830hrs, officers and men of Seme Command of Nigeria Customs Service while conducting stop and search along Abidjan Lagos Corridor intercepted a truck with registration number GL 6663 GH belonging to one of the major conglomerates concealed with some cartons of pharmaceutical products.

He confirmed that the truck was taken to the station at Seme for proper examination and upon the conduct of the examination some unregistered pharmaceutical products were discovered.

The seized items includes: “Morphine Sulfate 100ml x 1076 bottles, Amodiaquine Suspension 60ml x 94 bottles, Vermo x 500mg x 2970 packages x 1 sachet x 1 tablet, Mepacrine Tablets 100mg x 390 packets x 1000 tablets, Clofenac SR 100mg x 298 packets x 10 sachets x 10 tablets, Losartail Potassium 50mg x 1485 packages x 2 sachets x 28 tablets, Virest 400 Aciclovir tablets. B.P 400mg x 499 packages x 5 sachets x 5 tablets” he listed.

He stated further that the seized unregistered pharmaceutical products have a Duty Paid Value of Twenty-Seven Million, Eight Hundred and Sixty-Seven Thousand, Five Hundred and Thirty-Eight Naira (N27, 861, 538.00) only.

“This seizure contravened both Nigeria Customs Service banning the importation of pharmaceutical products through the land border without approval and further contravening NAFDAC laws as they do not have NAFDAC registration numbers. Furthermore, five out of the seven seized pharmaceutical products have expired” he revealed.

Comptroller Nnadi also confirmed that on the 21st of April, 2023, the officer of the Command on a routine patrol along the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor intercepted a Ford Bus conveying Seven (7) large sacks containing five hundred and fifty-three (553) parcels and four suspects were also arrested in connection with the seizure.

He said, in line with the dictates of the Nigeria Customs Service in the promotion of inter-agency collaboration and synergy, the CGC Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali Rtd directed that the seized items and two (2) suspects should be handed over to the NDLEA for further investigation.

The boss of the command also reiterated his commitment to fight smuggling under any guise and also states that smugglers will continue to meet their water-loo as we remain resolute at ensuring adequate surveillance of our borders.