The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) have recorded a major breakthrough in their efforts to combat smuggling and protect public health.
In a joint operation, the two agencies intercepted 16 containers loaded with illicit pharmaceutical products worth over ₦20.5 billion at the Port Harcourt II Area Command in Onne, Rivers State.
The intercepted containers contained 1.3 million bottles of Codeine syrup (100ml each), 9.3 million tablets of Really Extra Diclofenac, 12.6 million tablets of Royal Tramadol (225mg), and other unregistered and dangerous pharmaceuticals, including Trodol, Hyergra, Bisoveu, and Bassuka.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, attributed the successful operation to intelligence-driven enforcement and renewed synergy among national security and regulatory bodies.
He stated that the anti-smuggling operations align with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s policy on border security, public health, and national safety.
The Director-General of NAFDAC, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, commended the vigilance of the Customs Service and its partner agencies, stressing the public health threat posed by the illicit consignment.
She confirmed that all seized items would undergo comprehensive regulatory procedures, including laboratory testing, documentation, and destruction, and assured that the products would never make it into the Nigerian market.
The seizure was a result of collaboration between the NCS, NAFDAC, and other security agencies, including the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).
The agencies have pledged to enhance intelligence-sharing, surveillance, and enforcement operations in line with national security objectives and global best practices.
Adeniyi warned that the NCS maintains zero tolerance for smuggling and will bring the full weight of the law to bear on all perpetrators.
Adeyeye branded importers of falsified medicines as “merchants of death” and reiterated that Nigeria would not serve as a dumping ground for substandard or unapproved pharmaceutical products.
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