Apapa Area1 Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS yesterday said it has impounded tramadol, mosquito coil, used cloths and unregistered drugs with a Duty Paid Value, DPV of N223.2 million in two weeks.
The 554 cartons of tramadol were concealed 1,000 cartons as ceramic tiles stocked in a 40 foot container while the sacks mosquito coil loaded in a 40 foot container was falsely declared as ground paper and packaging paper bag.
New Customs Area Controller, CAC of the Command, Malanta Yusuf, who disclosed this in Lagos, said that the container with number SEGU 1793504 was intercepted through the deployment of its new “Manifest Management System” which enable them to track to track the consignment manifested as ceramic tiles.
According to him, “Acting on Manifest Management System, we were able to track and intercept a container N0. SEGU 1793504 manifested as ceramic tiles. Upon 100 per cent examination to ascertain its true contents, it was found to contain 554 cartons of Tramadol capsules (120 milligram) concealed with 1,000 cartons of ceramic tiles.
“Furthermore, with the support of my management team we are able to make the following intervention: One 40 foot container loaded with sacks of mosquito coil products but declared as ground paper and packaging paper bag; seven containers loaded with bales of used clothing and shoes and one container of unregistered pharmaceutical product (989) cartons of Mixagrip tablets) wrongly declared as winches and gaskets.
“It is noteworthy to state that the consignments are out-rightly seized for breaching the provisions of sections 46, 47 and 161 of the Customs And Excise Management Act, CEMA CAP C45 LFN 2004 and provision of schedule 4 (17) of the Common External Tariff.
“Based on the foregoing, the Command has launched a preliminary investigation with a view to identifying the consignees for arrest and possible prosecution in connection with this criminal and unlawful importation.
“The total DPV of the aforementioned seizures stood at N223.2 million without the value of the illicit tramadol drug,” he concluded.
