The Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, has impounded two containers loaded with Tramadol Hydrochloride (225 milligrams). The drugs that were loaded in a 1×20 and 1×40 feet containers, were imported from India with a total Duty Paid Value, DPV of N124 million.
This is just as the Nigeria Medical Association, NMA, yesterday, described the closure of three pharmaceutical companies involved in the illegal codeine sales as short term measure, saying, “only implementation of proper prescription record and rights for doctors will stop the abuse among the populace.”
Disclosing the seizure in Lagos yesterday, the Customs Area Controller, Mohammed Abdullahi Musa, said that agent of one of the consignments whose identity he did not disclose, had been detained. Musa explained that the containers, which were declared as electrical static converters and ciprofloxacin, were intercepted by officers of the command after foiled attempts to smuggle them out of the seaport.
He further disclosed that the drugs were marked for export only, meaning they cannot be consumed in India where they are manufactured, adding that the Command was working closely with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, and National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, on the seizure.
Tramadol, an opioid analgesic, is usually prescribed to treat moderate to moderately severe pain and is considered a safer alternative to other narcotic analgesics like hydrocodone, and methadone. He also disclosed that another 3×40 containers of E-waste which were considered toxic to the environment and health, was also impounded, alongside a 5×40 feet container of second hand clothing consisting of about 1,239 bales of clothing prohibited under the absolute import prohibition list as well as a 1×40 container of used tyres contain in Import Prohibition List for trade.
