The Nigerian Customs Service, Area 11 Command in Onne, Rivers State, said Thursday that it seized 4,120 bags of foreign rice and banned pharmaceuticals, including Tramadol.
Abubakar Bashir, command controller, disclosed this while briefing newsmen on the achievement of the NCS in the area. He said the contraband pharmaceuticals were contained in nine containers with each measuring 40 feet (9*40 feet).
Bashir also said that the command recorded N11.4 billion in two months of the first quarter of the year out of its target of N117.8 billion; even as he added that the aim of the command was to surpass its target.
He recalled that the Command had made 26 seizures with a duty paid value of N470,011,478.38 billion in 2017, promising to improve on the performance.
The controller explained that the contraband pharmaceuticals were imported by unscrupulous businessmen from China and India. He further disclosed that the items, which included Tramaking were falsely declared as pressuring reducing drugs.
“From January to date the command has seized 9*40′ containers carrying 8,245 cartons of fake pharmaceuticals consisting of 250mg of Tramadol and Tramaking and other anti-malarial and analgesic.
“The total duty paid of the seizure of pharmaceuticals amounts to N395,125,912.00. We are particularly delighted by this seizure because we recorganise the harmful effect they have especially on our youths and the current national challenge of substance abuse.
“This command has been faithful in aligning towards the same policy. From January to date, 8*20 foot containers of rice with a duty paid value of N64,878,141.48, and carrying 4,120 bags of rice from Thailand were seized.
“These containers were falsely declared as sewing machines with the intent of evading the law. I am glad to report that they have been seized and duly condemned in a court of law,” he said.
Bashir further warned that the NCS would not tolerate any activity that would harm the countrty as far as importing of goods were concerned.
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