Mobolaji Michael
THE Nigeria Customs Service Seme Area Command has announced the seizure of seven unregistered pharmaceutical products, five of which are already expired.
The Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Dera Nnadi, who disclosed this on Wednesday at a press briefing held in Seme Border, Badagry, informed that the seizures have a Duty Paid Value of N27, 861, 538.00.
He said the seizure was made along Abidjan-Lagos Corridor on the 9th of May 2023, while officers of Seme Command intercepted a truck belonging to one of the major conglomerates concealed with some cartons of pharmaceutical products.
The truck was taken to the Station at Seme for proper examination and upon the conduct of the examination, unregistered pharmaceutical products were discovered.
Products discovered are Morphine Sulfate 100ml x 1076 bottles, Amodiaquine Suspension 60ml x 94 bottles, Vermox 500mg x 2970 packages x 1 sachet x 1 tablet, Mepacrine Tablets 100mg 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, and Virest 400 Aciclovir tablets. B.P 400mg x 499 packages x 5 sachets x 5 tablets.
Comptroller Nnadi said, “The seizure contravened both Nigeria Customs Service banning the importation of pharmaceutical products through the land border without approval and further contravenes NAFDAC laws as they do not have NAFDAC registration numbers.
“The Command expressed worries about this particular seizure considering the dangerous use of morphine which is a derivative of opium. This drug can be deployed for illicit use to aid criminals,” he said.
In line with the dictates of the Nigeria Customs Service in the promotion of inter-agency collaboration and synergy, the Area Controller handed over 553 parcels of cannabis sativa and two suspects to the NDLEA.
Recall that on the 21st of April, 2023, officers of the Command intercepted a Ford bus conveying seven large sacks containing 553 parcels and four suspects were also arrested in connection with the seizure.
While commending the Comptroller General of Customs, Col. Hammed Ali (Rtd.) CFR, and the management of Customs for their encouragement and support to the Command, Comptroller Nnadi reiterated the commitment of the Command to fight smuggling under any guise.
Eighteen-Eleven Media