The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on Thursday said that it intercepted expired and controlled pharmaceutical products with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of NGN1.8bn illegally imported into Lagos Port.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi disclosed this while unveiling the seizures to newsmen during a press briefing in Lagos.
The products include tramadol, codeine and other pharmaceuticals without registration numbers from regulatory authorities.
He said if allowed to exit the ports, the drugs would undermine the security of Nigeria by influencing the behavior of individuals involved in criminal activities, often fueled by illicit drugs such as tramadol.
Aside from being expired, he said some of the seized drugs were imported without undergoing the necessary regulatory requirements, such as obtaining a National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) number.
He then commended Comptroller Babatunde Olomu, the Customs Area Controller for Apapa Command, and the officers working with him for their anti-smuggling exploit.
