Customs Handover 25 Containers Loaded with Prohibited  Products to NAFDAC

By Ebenezer William

The Apapa Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has handed over 25 containers of unregistered and prohibited pharmaceutical products to NAFDAC in Lagos.

The ceremony which was chaired by the Controller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi had representatives of NAFDAC, NDLEA, the Nigeria Police, Nigeria Customs and journalists.

In his remark the CGC of Customs noted that the Memorandum of Understanding between Customs and NAFDAC enables both agencies to conduct coordinated operations and joint investigations, systematically tracing illicit pharmaceutical sources and deploying targeted enforcement strategies against criminal networks.

The CGC reiterated inter-agency collaboration and intelligence sharing as a veritable tool that is central to the NCS enforcement philosophy which has delivered measurable results in protecting public health and combating trade under Bola Tinubu's administration.

Items in the containers included counterfeit medications, unregistered pharmaceutical products, and prohibited substances including codeine-based preparations that pose an imminent danger to public health.

The aggregate Duty Paid Value of the said containers was put at Nine Billion, Two Hundred and Thirty-five Million, Four Hundred and Two Thousand, Nine Hundred and Seventy-Three Naira (#9,235,402,973.00).
A detailed breakdown of the seizures reveals disturbing patterns of declarations and systematic attempts to circumvent established import protocols. The 25 containers comprised of 21 forty-foot containers and 4 twenty-foot caontainers containing predominantly unregistered pharmaceutical products including sexual enhancement drugs such as REDSUN and HYGERA sildenafil citrate products, codein-containing cough syrup includingCSCbrands, antibiotic injections like oxytetracycline and artesubate, painvrelief medications coontaining diclofenac sodium and pharmaceutic, skin lightening creams marketed as GBOGBONISE and SKIN CHEMIST, hip and breast enlargement products such as margarine and chocolate, veterinary medications including albendazole bolus tablet, antimalarial drugs like artepharm-artequick, and consume goods sych as crusader soap, reflecting a sophisticated abd diversifified contraband portfolio that poses significant threats to public health, consumer safety and regulatory integrity.

In his vote of thanks and commendation for the various agencies involved in the war against the merchants of death the Customs CGC, extoled operatives of the Apapa Ports for their vigilance and doggedness in the fight to save Nigerians from these anti-state actors.

He vowed on behalf of the Nigerian Customs to ensure that all the ports in the country remain safe for genuine and legitimate business.