Customs palms over seized N92 million tramadol capsules to NAFDAC 

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has handed over 91 cartons of expired tramadol capsules valued at N92 million to the Nationwide Company for Meals and Drug Administration and Management (NAFDAC) in Adamawa State.

In line with the Information Company of Nigeria (NAN), the handover happened on Wednesday on the NCS Adamawa/Taraba Space Command headquarters in Yola.

The seizure adopted a collection of coordinated, intelligence-led operations carried out in Mubi, a key border city infamous for smuggling actions.

Talking in the course of the occasion, Mr. Garba Bashir, Controller of Customs answerable for the Adamawa/Taraba Space Command, stated the seizure prevented what might have been a public well being catastrophe.

He famous that if the expired tramadol capsules had discovered their approach into circulation, “harmless Nigerians might have suffered excessive morbidity and mortality, deterioration in human capital, and publicity to unfair market competitors.” 

What they stated 

• Bashir added that the proliferation of expired and counterfeit substances fuels drug abuse amongst younger individuals, typically resulting in violent crimes, aggression, and social unrest.

“Seizing these expired and counterfeit substances is a gateway to combating organized crime, disrupting smuggling networks, and stopping the circulation of harmful medication,” he stated. 

He defined that the seizure was made in keeping with Part 55 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023, and that the substances can be formally handed over to NAFDAC for destruction.

“The destruction of the expired medicaments might be carried out collectively with NAFDAC after this official handover,” he added. 

What it is best to know 

Citing the World Well being Group (WHO), Bashir highlighted that over a million individuals die globally yearly because of the consumption of substandard or falsified medical merchandise, with Africa bearing the very best burden.

• The Customs boss additional revealed that the realm command recorded 29 separate seizures inside a six-week interval, with a complete Responsibility Paid Worth (DPV) of N112.59 million. Different confiscated objects included 20,600 litres of petroleum packed in 824 jerrycans, 54 cartons of international soaps, and 64 items of full donkey pores and skin.
• He stated the seized petroleum can be auctioned instantly, with proceeds remitted to the federation account.
• In his remarks, Mr. Gonzuk Bedima, NAFDAC Coordinator in Adamawa, recommended the Customs Service for its vigilance and continued efforts in curbing the circulation of expired and dangerous medication. He pledged sustained collaboration between each companies to guard public well being and be certain that unsafe substances don’t attain shoppers.

An earlier report by Nairametrics confirmed that in August, the Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone ‘A’ of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), handed over expired pharmaceutical merchandise valued at N3.77 billion to the Nationwide Company for Meals and Drug Administration and Management (NAFDAC).

He had defined that the handover had taken place on August 25 throughout a go to to FOU Zone ‘A’ by NAFDAC’s then-new Director of Enforcement and Investigation, Dr. Martin Iluyomade.