Customs To Destroy N15bn Tramadol, Other Harmful Drugs

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) says that it has concluded arrangements to destroy over N15billion worth of Tramadol and other illicit substance seized in the last few months. An Assistant Comptroller General of Customs, Aminu Dahiru made this disclosure when the Director General of National Agency for Food Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye paid a courtesy visit on the Customs Area Controller (CAC) of the Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone A, Compt. Aliyu Muhammed in Lagos.  He said that, so far, the Duty Paid Value (DPV) of the banned drugs scheduled for destruction across the country was worth N15billion.  He said: “We are destroying goods worths N15 billion. There is two type of container, 40ft and 20ft containers and apart from two containers that are 20ft, all the rest are 40ft. So, you can see how massive the drugs are.  “By the grace of God, Nigeria will be liberated and our concern is not mainly on revenue but on security, safety of life and the DPV I mentioned is about tramadol and other related medications seized all over the federation and we will destroy that of southwest in Ogun State, South South and South East in Portharcourt, North in Kaduna. So it is a national assignment,” the ACG stated. Also speaking, the Customs Area Controller of FOU,, Compt. Aliyu said that the service had flagged importation of drugs from India and China. He however disclosed that not all the medications from Indian and China is banned but “when they flagged it and it’s genuine, we allow it leave the ports.” The DG of NAFDAC, Prof. Adeyeye said there was need for stiffer control of drugs in the country.