Fake Drugs: Customs To Intensify Physical Examination At Seaports

Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), on Monday, said it will intensify 100 per cent physical examination of cargoes at the nation’s seaports due to the high import of psychotropic substances into the country.

This was disclosed by the Assistant Comptroller General, Enforcement, Inspection and Investigation, Usman Dankingari, at the conclusion of the destruction of 14 containers of Tramadol and other banned substances imported into the country through the seaports.

According to him, all 48 containers that were destroyed were seized from the Apapa seaports and they were intercepted through physical examination.

He said, “In as much as some bad elements of the society won’t stop bringing illicit drugs into the country, we won’t stop impounding them and subjecting them to destruction.

“All the 48 containers of seized pharmaceutical drugs came from the seaports and they were intercepted through physical examination of cargoes. So, this is an indication that 100 percent physical examination of cargoes will remain. This will erase any doubt once a container is being suspected.

“Once the importers know that suspicious cargoes will be subjected to 100 percent physical examination, and that the level of compromise by our officers is minimal, they will think twice before bringing in shipments of illicit drugs into the country.

The ACG, however, appraised the exercise, saying it was a huge success.

His words, “Whatever has a beginning must have an end. The weather has been on our side. The destruction exercise has been a success. When compared to what we get at other dump sites, this is a very good outing. You can see that here, the menace of scavengers is controlled unlike what we get when we use other dump sites. I cannot say it is excellent but it is very good compared to what we get at other dump sites.”