Customs intercepts N1.143 billion hard drug, others in Apapa
Apapa Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) says that it has intercepted hard drugs including tramadol, codeine syrup, and other contraband valued at N1.143 billion in the first quarter of this year.
The Customs Area Controller of the Command, Comptroller Yusuf Malanta Ibrahim, at a briefing on Thursday said the items were among the 46 seizures recorded by the command.
He noted that anti-smuggling activities have been a matter of Central concern in the command, following attempts by recalcitrant traders to undermine Custom’s system.
He disclosed that the enforcement unit of the command has been strengthened through strict monitoring, enhanced collaboration and sharing of credible intelligence with relevant government agencies to contain smuggling activities to their barest minimum.
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‘The command recorded 46 seizures of various items with a duty paid value of N1.142 billion as against 28 seizures made in the corresponding months of the year 2021.
‘These seizures include unregistered medicaments such as tramadol and codeine syrup, unprocessed wood, used clothing, footwear, foreign parboiled rice and other sundry items that fall under the prohibition list. These importations are in clear contravention of sections 46 and 47 of Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA) CAP C45 LFN 2004.”
He added: ”In the period under review, he said the command generated N264.536 billion in revenue into Federal Government’s coffers within the period under review, which shows a significant increase of N104 billion as against N159 billion collected in the corresponding months of the year 2021, representing an increase of 65.7 per cent in revenue.
”For the first quarter of the year 2022, statistics from the export report indicate that goods worth N34.072 billion, with a Free On Board (FOB) value of $87.992 million were exported as against N32.2 billion, which is equivalent to a FOB value of $82.1 million between the months of January to March 2021.”
