At the Apapa Port Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, a discovery was made of 12 containers containing Tramadol, expired drugs, as well as 27,540 pieces of cutlasses and machetes with a duty-paid value amounting to N1.8 billion.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, disclosed this information during the unveiling of the contraband in Lagos on Thursday.
It was highlighted that the expired pharmaceutical products had been imported without going through the necessary regulatory procedures.
Furthermore, Adeniyi mentioned that some of the drugs lacked the required National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) numbers.
“Containers were confiscated due to false declarations aimed at avoiding duty payment, constituting smuggling activities,” Adeniyi mentioned.
A total of 12 containers valued at N1.8 billion have been seized, he added, noting the blatant violation of Section 233 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act (NCSA) 2023.
An additional 20-foot container containing expired pharmaceutical products was discovered to have cartons of Royal Tramadol 225mg concealed within expired cartons of analgesics, antiseptics, and anti-inflammatory tablets without a NAFDAC number.
The customs chief also reported that the 20-foot container was found to have rolls of Tramadol 225mg hidden within expired cartons of Zokomol and Diclofenac, pharmaceutical items lacking a NAFDAC registration number.