Customs intercepts containers of expired drugs, cutlasses, machetes, others at Lagos Port
By Steve Agbota, Lagos
The Apapa Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on Friday said that it intercepted about seven containers carrying expired pharmaceuticals, 12,000 pieces of cutlasses, machetes and 4,129 packages of frozen chicken imported into the country.
Speaking at a press briefing at the Lagos Port, the command Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Babatunde Olomu, said other seizures include 368 jumbo bales of used second-hand clothing, saying the Duty Paid Value (DPV) of these seized items stood at N292. 244 million.
However, he said as part of the Comptroller-General of Customs policy thrust of zero tolerance for smuggling, the Apapa Command of Nigeria Customs Service has successfully intercepted seven containers that fall short of the import prohibition guidelines from entering the country.
He disclosed that the command intercepted these containers on Thursday, July 17, 2024, adding that the expired drugs were imported from India, the cutlass and machete came from China while the frozen chicken imported from Turkiyé.
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According to him, it is pertinent to note that this type of importation is against schedule 3 of the revised import prohibition list of the Common External Tariff (CET) and violates section 233 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023.
“These seizures were made following a combination of intelligence and diligent enforcement in ensuring that no consignment exits Apapa Port or any terminal under the command without undergoing proper examination.
“As a working principle, I have reiterated that this command will continually sustain and improve on trade facilitation and maximum revenue collection without compromising the enforcement of our extant laws as they pertain to false declaration, concealment, under declaration and undervaluation.
“We are also enforcing the requirements for sister regulatory agencies like the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) in the case of food and drugs and strict implementation of the end user certificate rules for products that require it from relevant authorities like the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).
“Let me use this opportunity to reiterate the earlier warning given by the CGC on the smuggling of prohibited items and restate that this command will keep ensuring that only consignments that meet the integrity test of compliance will be allowed to go through this port either as import or export cargoes,” he said.
He stated that the command would hand over these seizures to the appropriate agencies for further investigation and regulatory action.
