Onne Customs seizes N46bn illicit drugs, collects N550bn revenue in 10 months

 

Maureen Aguta

 

Barely two months after the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi declared a state of emergence at Onne Port over incessant influx of illicit drugs and small weapons from the port, the Customs Area Controller of the Command, Comptroller Muhammed Babandede disclosed that in line with the Comptroller General of Customs policy thrust of consolidation and collaboration, the  command working with Sister Agencies such as NDLEA, DSS, Quarantine and NAFDAC among others in implementing the state of emergency, has made a seizure of twenty 40feet containers and one 20feet container laden with illicit drugs.

Briefing newsmen on Monday in Onne, the Customs Area Controller stated that the seized drugs pose severe threat to public health and safety. He noted that the command also seized one 20feet container laden with donkey skin.

According to him, the Duty Paid Value of the twenty-one containers totals ₦46,399,119,810, while the Duty Paid Value for the donkey skin is ₦441,000,000

The breakdown is as follows: .2,624,053 bottles of 100ml Cough Syrup Codeine, 7,530,000 tablets of 50mg Really Extra Diclofenac; 3,500,000 tablets of 5mg Trodol Benzhexol, 27,048,900  tablets of 225mg Royal Tapentadol/ Tramadol/Tamolx, 7,665,000 tablets of 200ml fake/counterfeit Gonorrhea Antibiotics without NAFDAC number, and 15,600,000 tablets of fake 4mg chlorphenamine.

Others are: 33,840,00 tablets of 2mg fake Lemotil Loperamine, 19,430 pieces of Chilly cutter used for concealment, 20,238 pieces of Sanitary Fittings Tap/toilet seat used for concealment, 26,400 tubes of 30mg  fake Permethrin cream, 480,000 tablets of  fake Stapsiril,  112,500 tablets of fake multi mineral supplement, 28 drums of diphenhydramine Hydrochloride ip of 25kg each.

Also on the list are; 3,388 pieces of waste connector used for concealment and 2,100 pieces of Donkey Skin

Comptroller Babadende noted that these seizures underscore the  unwavering commitment of the command to combating 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 capabilities and ensuring that we can act decisively against those who seek to undermine our nation’s security.”

He further disclosed that the anti-smuggling efforts of his command has made a total seizure of 63 containers this year comprising of: 844 riffles, 112,500 pieces of live ammunition, over 6,469,253 bottles of 100ml syrup with codeine, over 56,878,900 tablets of 225mg Royal Tapentadol /Tramadol/Tamolx; among others for violations or contraventions of various customs laws and breach of procedures as provided under the revised import prohibition guidelines of the Common External Tariff 2022-2026, as well as Sections 233, 234, 235, 245, 246 of Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023.

The Duty Paid Value of the seizures made so far is ₦130,562,660,407

In the area of Trade facilitation, the Command utilizes World Customs Organisation trade facilitation tool to generate maximum revenue which is:

Time Release Study

According to Comptroller Babandede, the result of utilizing this tool within the past months of this year has been unprecedented.

As regards to export, the CAC said that export play a crucial role in any nation’s economy and Nigeria relaying on it promotes economic growth, job creation and provides favourable balance of trade and exchange rate for the naira to the dollar.

“In the command a total of 2,436,408.33 Metric Tonnes of goods with a free on board (FOB) value of $826,613,015.87 was processed through the command.

This is as “the command as at this morning has generated a total revenue of ₦550 billion which translate to 89 per cent of the annual target of N618 billion given to the command,” Babandede said.