Customs intercepted Tramadol, other contrabands worth N529 million between January, February

The Nigeria Customs Service’s Federal Operations Unit Zone C says it intercepted unregistered pharmaceutical products and other contraband valued more than N529 million between January and February.

The FOUC Comptroller, Ali Ibrahim, stated this while showing the confiscated products in Owerri to Newsmen.

During the time period under review, six people were arrested and given administrative bail, he said.

Mr Ibrahim revealed that 640 cartons of unregistered drugs worth N192 million were intercepted in the Okada-Benin axis in a DAF heavy-duty truck and one J5 Transit bus.

He stated that on the Umuikaa-Aba Road, 1,650 bales of old garments worth N165 million were detained, while in the Akwa-Ibom-Calabar axis, 181, 50kg bags of imported parboiled rice worth more than N7.2 million were intercepted.

2,239 used pneumatic tyres worth N4.5 million and 36,000 gallons of contraband petroleum products worth N3.6 million were also discovered hidden in polyethylene bags.

Eight exotic vehicles were also seized because they lacked acceptable customs documents.

They comprised one Toyota Hilux truck from each of the years 2017, 2020, and 2021, one Land Cruiser Prado model from 2016, one Toyota Highlander 2014 model, and one Toyota Venza 2016 model, among others.

Mr Ibrahim expressed gratitude to Hameed Ali, the Comptroller-General of Customs, and his management team for their consistent support and inspiration.

He expressed his condolences to the families of four NCS personnel who died in the line of duty.

The NCS, he said, was collaborating with other security agencies to secure the protection of its troops.

Mr Ibrahim urged traditional and religious leaders, as well as other well-intentioned Nigerians, to persuade their supporters not to attack security officers in the name of national peace and progress.