The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), ,Area II Command , Onne has recorded another mile Stone through a combination of intelligence gathering and inter-agency collaboration intercepting containers carrying illicit contraband goods made through the Port.
The collaboration the customs Area Controller of Area II Command Onne, Comptroller Muhammed Babandede, in a press briefing in Rivers state ,he said was made possible through a joint effort of inter- agency intelligence gathering leading to several seizures of containers with illicit goods worth billions of naira.
Comptroller Babandede,hinted that the concerns from the series of seizures of contraband goods made through the Port led to the declaration of a three month state of emergency where the Command have been granted the authority to scrutinized all suspected containers, regardless of the presence of their owners,adding that the proactive approach is aimed to ensure no Illegal substances carried through the Port can evade detection.
According to him ,in line with the Policy thrust of the current administration in consolidation and collaboration- working with sister agencies such National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Department of State Security (DSS),Quarantine and National Agency for Food and Drug Administration Control (NAFDAC) amongst others,the command achieved an impressive seizure of twenty 40feet and one 20feet containers laden with illict drugs with suspected public health implications.
The customs boss, explained that the breakthrough in the total seizures are as follows:
(I) 2,624,053 bottles of 100ml cough Syrup Codeine,(Ii) 7,530,000 tablets of 50mg Really Extra Diclofenac,(III) 3500,00 tablets of 5mg Tradol Bendhedol,(iv) 27,048,900 tablets of 225mg Royal Tapentadol /Tramadol,(v) 2,100 pieces of donkey skin etc.
He added that an overview of the duty paid value of twenty -one containers totalling #46399,119,810,while the duty paid value for the donkey skin is put at #441,000,000, pointing out that the seizures underscore the agency commitment to combatting illicit medicine and ensuring the safety of the public.
” The implementation of this state of emergency by the CGC has proven effective in enhancing our operational capacities and ensuring that we can act decisively aganist those who seek to undermine our nation’s security.” He said.
In a related development,the command recorded another miles broken success in the seizure of 63 containers comprising 843ml m Riffles,112500 pieces of live ammunition,over 6,469,253 bottles of 100ml syrup with codeine etc,
and lauded the media for continued collaboration in the reportage of their event.