The Ogun Area command of the Nigeria Customs Service said it has confiscated substandard anti-malaria drugs and antibiotics valued at N20million.
Area Controller of the command, Comptroller Multafu Waindu said in a statement that the drugs were being smuggled into the country through the Nigeria/Benin Republic border at Idiroko in Ogun State.
The Controller said the fake malaria drugs were in addition to 500 bags of smuggled rice also seized by the command.
“The fake drugs were on onward transportation into the country to be sold in the open market.” he said.
While handing over the confiscated drugs to the officer in charge of Port Inspection Directorate of the National Agency for Food, Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Datol Andrew, Waindu assured that the command would not relent in its efforts to curtail smuggling activities in the State.
Responding, Andrew said the confiscation has saved over a million Nigerians from falling victim to fake drugs use.
Andrew however, expressed his disappointment that the importer of the drugs was not nabbed to serve as a deterrent to others who engage in such act.
He said the agency would continue to work in partnership with the Customs to ensure illicit drugs and food items were prevented from finding their way into the country.
On the seized rice, the Customs boss said the seizure was a fallout of raids by operatives of the command on an illegal warehouse at Okere Creek near Bawe Gbo, in Ipokia local government area of the State.
Waindu said his officers, acting on a tip-off, invaded the warehouse and seized the rice with duty paid value of N5.1 million.
He said all the seized items have been deposited at the Customs warehouse at Idiroko.
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