Customs, Others Join NSA in Destroying Over 200 Containers of Illicit Pharmaceuticals
By Nifemi Coker
As part of the mandate of the joint committee of agencies under the Office of the National Security Adviser targeted against circulation of illicit pharmaceuticals, the Nigeria Customs Service has joined the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control in destroying over 200 containers of Illicit pharmaceuticals.
This was communicated by a representative of the Office of the National Security Adviser, Mr. Ibrahim Sulaimon, in Lagos, during the commencement of phase 2 of the destruction of illicit and substandard pharmaceuticals earlier today.
Sulaimon stated that the exercise is in line with the vision of the National Security Adviser to sanitise the country of counterfeit and substandard drugs which, he said, constitute health and social hazards to the nation.
“This is a destruction exercise presided over by the National Security Adviser. A committee was convened with agencies like the Nigeria Customs Service, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control and the Nigerian Army, providing security, to ensure that substandard and illicit drugs are moved out of the port and are destroyed.
“We have done the first phase of this exercise which started in Lagos and extended to Port Harcourt. We are in the second phase of this exercise kicking off in Lagos. We have destroyed so far (in the first and second phases) more than 200 containers.
“The National Security Adviser is very passionate that some of these drugs which are catalyst for crime in the country should not be at the ports and other places where they were seized.”
The pharmaceuticals being destroyed include, Tramadol, codeine, Apetamine, Analgin injection amongst others.
Representing the Nigeria Customs Service, Assistant Customs Controller, A.O Oguntuase, explained that the street value of the destroyed products could be estimated at about one trillion naira.
Speaking on the place of seizure and the value of the items, Oguntuase said: “Illicit drugs are expensive even on the streets so the price may be up to a trillion or close to a trillion naira. Many of the items being destroyed are expired or substandard when they came into the ports and expired drugs are not meant to be allowed in the country no matter the authorization it has been given at the point of export.
“Many of the pharmaceuticals were seized from the ports and some from the Federal Operations Unit using our intelligence.”
Further buttressing the harmful effects of circulation of these pharmaceuticals, Sulaimon explained that the drugs were mostly controlled drugs that ought to be used under prescription and pose greater health risks to unsuspecting users.
On his part, representative of the NDLEA, DC Omotosho Solomon, stated that suspects arrested in connection with the goods are being tried in court following court order on their destruction.
Sulaimon warned importers engaged in the trafficking of illicit drugs and pharmaceuticals to desist from such acts or face the full “process of law on illegal importation.”
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