The Nigeria Customs Command in charge of Onne Port, Rivers State says it has achieved 436,408.38 metric tons of export
Jude Nzennaya Port Harcourt
The Area 2 Command of the Nigeria Customs, Onne Port, in Rivers State, on Monday, November 11, 2024, announced the seizure of a large consignment of contraband, expired and unwholesome pharmaceutical products, including hard substances with a duty paid value of over N46 billion.
With the recent seizure of 21 containers, the Onne Port Command also recorded a total of 63 containers of contraband and other illegal and unregistered products within the 2024 operational year, this was disclosed by the command during a media briefing by the Customs Area Controller Comptroller Mohammed Babandede.
Recently, the Comptroller General of Customs (CGC) Bashir Adewale Adeniyi paid a visit to Onne Port to showcase significant seizures made by the diligent officers of the Command. Twelve containers were found to have contained illicit goods intercepted through a combination of intelligence gathering, inter-agency collaboration, and meticulous physical examination.
These seizures raised security concerns which prompte the CGC to declare a state of emergency in Onne Port for three months granting the Command authority to scrutinize all suspected containers, regardless of the presence of their owners. The measure was to ensure that no illegal substances could evade detection.
In line with the policy thrust of the Service, which includes consolidation and collaboration, the Onne Customs said they were collaborating with other agencies including the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), the Department of State Service (DSS), the National Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS) and National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) among others in implementing the state of emergency. The Command hinted that it recorded another significant seizure of 20/40 feet and one 20 feet containers laden with illicit drugs, which pose a severe threat to public health and safety, while the one 20feet container was laden with donkey skin.
The breakdown of these seizures indicate that 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 and 7,665,000 tablets of 200ml fake/counterfeit Gonorrhea Antibiotics without NAFDAC number were intercepted.
Other seizures include 15,600,000 tablets of fake 4mg chlorphenamine, 33,840,00 tablets of 2mg fake LemotilLoperamine, 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.
There were also 3,388 pieces of waste connector used for concealment, 2,100 pieces of Donkey Skin
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 CAC said, “These seizures underscore our unwavering commitment to combatting 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”.
Babandede further said, “The Command under my stewardship this year, has made a total seizure of 63 containers comprising of 844 Riffles, 112,500 pieces of live ammunition, 6,469,253 bottles of 100ml syrup with codeine and 56,878,900 tablets of 225mg Royal Tapentadol /Tramadol/Tamolx”. The Area Controller added that the Duty Paid Value (DPV) of the seizures made so far is ₦130,562,660,407
In its trade facilitation pursuit, the Command said it utilized the World Customs Organization’s (WCO) trade facilitation tool of Time Release Study (TRS) to generate maximum revenue. The Command also achieved export of 2,436,408.33 Metric tonnes of goods with a Free On Board (FOB) value of $826,613,015.87 processed through the Command.
“Still within the past months of this year, In the Area of revenue the Command as at this morning has generated a total revenue of Five hundred and Fifty Billion, Four hundred and Thirty-One Million, Five hundred and Fifty-Nine thousand, Five hundred and Ninety-Eight naira, Forty-One kobo (₦550,431,559,598.41) which translate to 89% of the annual target of 618 Billion given to the Command”, Babandede said.
