The Federal Operations Unit, Zone ‘A’ of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intercepted an Iveco truck loaded with 498 cartons of codeine cough syrup with each carton containing 200 bottles.
The Federal Government had in May banned importation of cough syrup that contains codeine due to the gross abuse of the drug especially by youths in the country.
Disclosing the seizure to journalists in Lagos on Wednesday, Controller of the unit, Comptroller Muhammed Uba, said the drug worth N199 million was intercepted by officers along Ijebu Ode road while heading towards the Eastern part of the country.
Uba who decried the harmful effect of the drug on youths appealed to the media to help sensitize the public on the dangers of consuming such substance.
He said, “Codeine is mostly consumed by youths and once they take this drug, they become apprehensive, aggressive and they attack. This is why we have religious radicalism, terrorism and restiveness. So there is need for the media to help us educate and sensitize the youths on the dangers of this drug and get themselves engaged in productive activities.”
Uba said two suspects arrested in connection with the seized drugs will be handed over to the National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) for further investigation and prosecution.
The Customs boss further disclosed that the unit intercepted other contraband goods including 21 vehicles, 9,504 bags of foreign parboiled rice, 436 jerrycans of vegetable oil, 333 cartons of frozen poultry products, 287 bales of used clothing and 198 pieces of used tyres with a Duty Paid Value of N1.1 billion.
He said 10 out of the seized vehicles were intercepted from Oluwalogbon Motors at 164 Awolowo Way Ikeja based on information while other were intercepted along Ijebu Ode Expressway.
He added, “Two containers were also seized. While 1/40 feet container number PCIU922650/8 was seized for carrying 525 bales of second hand clothing as against used motor cycles declared in the SGD, 1/40 feet container number PCIU871664/5 was seized for carrying 11 jumbo bales of jeans, 365 cartons of new slippers, 145 cartons of new bags as against adhesive dressing.
“Within the period under review, we have also recovered N67 million while 10 suspects have been arrested in connection with the 14 seizures.”
