The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Seme Area Command, has received a 40-feet container loaded with items suspected to be tramadol capsules concealed with packages of jumbo size adult diapers from Customs officers of neighbouring Republic of Benin.
The command’s Public Relations Officer, Hussain Abdulahi, said in a statement that the items had a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N1,447,297,050 (about $34 million) .
Abdullahi explained that the container was handed over to the command by the authorities in the Republic of Benin under transit to Nigeria on November 15.
He said that neither the owner nor any other person has come forward to continue the process of clearance procedure since the customs took delivery of the container.
“On December 20, Seme Customs Service invited other security agencies and stakeholders to witness the examination of the said container,” the statement quoted the Customs Area Controller, Bello Jibo as saying.
“The items discovered during 100 per cent examination are 200 packages of adult diapers, 100 cartons of Gabadol 120mg suspected to be tramadol equivalent to 360kg. The diapers were smartly arranged at the front of the container while the drugs were at the back.
“I directed that samples be taken out officially and handed over to National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to ascertain and confirm the drugs,” the statement said, adding that a full-scale investigation has been initiated with a view to fishing out those involved in the illicit importation.
GIK/APA