Customs transfers three containers of expired drugs to NAFDAC at Tin Can Island

By Joy Enamuna 

 

The Tin Can Island Port Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has handed over three containers laden with expired pharmaceutical products to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control.

The handover was carried out at the command during a brief ceremony, where the Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Frank Onyeka, said the action reflected the service’s resolve to safeguard public health and national security.

Onyeka stated that the three 20-foot containers were intercepted after detailed cargo examination, adding that their transfer to NAFDAC would allow the agency to take statutory action on the seized items.

He disclosed that two of the containers, with identification numbers PONU031958/6 and MSKU711656/0, were found to contain expired Tramadol tablets. According to him, investigations showed that one container held 86 cartons of Vingil Tramadol BP 50mg, while the second contained 250 cartons of the same product.

The controller said the third container, marked MSKU413519/1, contained 370 cartons of expired Diclofenac Sodium BP 50mg tablets without valid NAFDAC registration numbers, describing the consignment as illegal and unsafe for consumption.

He noted that the seizures were part of the command’s recent operational successes, driven by intensified cargo checks, enhanced intelligence gathering and sustained enforcement activities.

Onyeka said the command had continued to intercept prohibited and falsely declared goods, including controlled drugs, arms, ammunition and narcotics, which pose serious threats to public safety and economic stability.

He added that alongside enforcement, the command remained committed to facilitating legitimate trade and boosting revenue generation in line with the mandate of the Nigeria Customs Service, attributing the achievements to discipline, integrity and effective inter-agency collaboration.

The controller recalled that the command recently handed over 55 bags of Cannabis Indica, valued at over ₦4.7bn, to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, describing it as another demonstration of synergy among security agencies.

Onyeka commended NAFDAC officials for their cooperation and praised officers and men of the command for their dedication, which he said had strengthened operational efficiency.

Receiving the seized drugs on behalf of NAFDAC, the Chief Regulatory Officer, Investigation and Inspection Directorate, Apapa, Mr Kareem Taiwo Adekunle, lauded Customs for its firm stance against illicit pharmaceuticals.

Adekunle assured that NAFDAC would conduct further investigations and take appropriate regulatory action on the consignments in accordance with the law.