Comptroller Dera Nnadi and his anti-smuggling squad gets cracking against smugglers in hard drugs who operate through the Tincan Island Port, Lagos
By Innocent Chukwu
Friday, June 14, 2024 will remain historic for drug traffickers and smugglers who ply their illicit trade via the Tincan Island Port, Apapa Lagos. That was the day the Customs Area Command in charge of the port made a display of over N4.1 billion worth of illicit drugs it seized to the media.
The Customs Area Controller (CAC) of Tincan Island Command, Comptroller Dera Nnadi, had cause to feel proud when the Comptroller General of Customs (CGC), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, on that Friday announced the seizure of two containers filled with unregistered pharmaceutical products and psychotropic substances which street value was estimated to worth over N4.1 billion.
Comptroller Nnadi is among the finest officers in the rebranded customs when it comes to discharging duties with diligence. His presence at the Command has put to flight many illegal business operators who thought he could be compromised so that they would have a cleared coast to continue in wreaking havoc on the economy of the country.
The CAC of Tincan Island Port Customs exhibits the traits of resilience and boldness, which he mixes with friendliness and discipline to harness the potential of the seaport. Consequently, the Command under his watch has remained calm with zero tolerance for illicit trading.
While showcasing the huge seizures, CGC Adeniyi disclosed that investigation was still going on to disclose the identities of those behind the illicit drugs importation so as to make them face legal consequences of their nefarious business activities.
The CGC stressed the growing challenges posed by criminal networks which have always attempted to bypass and undermine security measures in their heinous quest to smuggle into the country illicit substances, arms and ammunition, illegal wildlife and petroleum products. According to Adeniyi, the illegal business of smugglers does not only undermine the security of the country, it also poses severe risks to public health and stability of the nation.
Among the illicit substances seized by the Comptroller Nnadi-led Tincan Port Customs were significant quantities of Cannabis Indica and Codeine-filled cough syrup, these illicit substances, Adeniyi said, are known for their detrimental impact on the citizens, especially young adults. The seized items were contained in two 40ft containers.
One of the containers carried three plastic drums containing packets of Cannabis Indica and 46 bags with 2,144 packets of the substance which total weight was 1,072 kilograms. The estimated street value of the outlawed imports is put at N3,216,000,000.
Another 40ft container from India carried 877 cartons of Barcadine Cough Syrup with Codeine. Each carton contained 200 bottles of 100 milliliters of the syrup. Inside the same container was found 82 cartons of Really Extra Declofenac Sodium tablets of 50 mg with 600 packs in each carton. The approximate street value of the cough syrup was put at N964,339,348.
The Nigeria Customs boss said the Tincan Port seizure demonstrated the Service’s unwavering resolve to keep intercepting and dismantling criminal operations of smugglers, adding that he acknowledged the collaborative efforts with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency which he said helped Comptroller Nnadi and his squad to record the rare feat.
Adeniyi said, “The misuse of substances like Cannabis Indica and Codeine poses grave threats on our society. We call upon all patriotic Nigerians to engage solely in legitimate business activities”.
