Another Star Performance from Apapa Customs … Impounds 4X40ft Containers laden with N1.18B worth of Illicit Drugs

Another Star Performance from Apapa Customs… Impounds 4X40ft Containers laden with N1.18B worth of Illicit Drugs

Apapa Port Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, has in recent times continued to be in the news for the right reasons with consistent, exceptional performance that includes unmatched revenue generation, mind blowing anti-smuggling operations, and robust trade facilitation.              

Comptroller Babatunde Olomu PhD, CAC, Apapa Command, NCS

Since the advent of Comptroller Babatunde Olomu PhD as the substantive Customs Area Controller of the command early this year, performance of the command have against all odds attained its crescendo, especially with a positive revenue trajectory path never before attained, which was made manifested through spectacular measures being adopted to place the command on the unprecedented performing radar for the service.    

The command having accomplished an unprecedented revenue collection mark of over N1.6Trillion within seven months has made itself the cynosure of all eyes and indeed the pride of the Nigeria Customs Service that lays the ‘Golden Egg’.  

However, the foremost revenue collection command is presently in the news for yet another significant and peculiarly fundamental reasons for its dogged efforts at nipping in the bud fraudulent activities and antics of economic saboteurs through vibrant and vigilant anti-smuggling measures, as it recently busted an attempt at smuggling illicit drugs worth a whooping sum total of One Billion, One hundred and e ma Eighty Three Million, Nine Hundred and Fifteen Thousand, Five Hundred Naira (N1,183,915,500) only into the country in 4 units of 40ft containers.

This was contained in the press release statement made available to TransQuest by the command’s Public Relations Officer, CSC Abubakar Usman. The CAC who showcased the seizures to invited stakeholders and journalists however gave the breakdown of the seizures to include; 236,783 bottles of cough syrup containing codeine and barkadin cough syrup packed in a total of 2,174 cartons from two terminals under the command.          

Olomu also disclosed that three of the seizures were made in APM Terminals, while the other one was recorded at Kachicares Bonded Terminal.

Furthermore, Comptroller Babatunde Olomu, described the seizure as a fallout of the service zero tolerance for smuggling.

According to him, “On 11th of October 2024, our officers during a joint examination of 1×40 container number MRKU0377493 found prohibited CSP cough syrup in 34,800 bottles. He also said that the offensive importation was also found to have expired. The smugglers packed them in 174 cartons with 200 bottles per carton.

“On the same day, during another examination in the same terminal, a 1×40 container TGBU8886020 was found to be laden with  39,700 bottles of DSP cough syrup packed in 100 bottles per carton.

Another 1x40ft container  NO TCKU6800526 dropped at APMT Container Terminal, said to contain Essential goods was examined on 15 October 2024, and after examination it was found to contain a concealment of 19 cartons of  CSJ cough syrup for throat and chesty with codeine 100ml packed in 200 bottles per carton

“At Kachicares Resources Terminal, 1X40FT container NO SUDU8579006 said to contain kitchen wares was examined on October 15, 2024 and found to contain concealment of Barcadin cough syrup for throat and chesty cough in 100ml

“They were packed in 1,584 cartons. Another set of 83 loose bottles was also found in the container.

He however reiterated that,  Apapa Command is committed to seamless trade facilitation powered by robust stakeholders engagement but will not compromise on revenue collection, anti-smuggling mandates as they facilitate trade.

He also for the umpteenth time, warn perpetrators of unlawful trade to steer clear from Apapa Port as his eagle eye officers relying on intelligence, technology and on the job experience are out to uncover all their smuggling antics. 

Also, he explained that Codeine abuse has been found to cause nausea or vomiting, making addicts feel sleepy, unable to concentrate or think clearly, and behave irrationally, including exhibition of criminal tendencies.

Olomu noted that the federal government banned the importation of codeine cough syrup in 2018 following its abuse and the adverse effects it caused on many youth who got addicted to it, noting that the banned substances have been found to spur criminal activities and deviant behaviors capable of setting society backward.

The CAC also said he has directed further investigation into the seizures to unravel further details that could lead to the arrest of the suspect(s) involved.