The Apapa area command of Nigeria Customs Service has intercepted a 40ft container loaded with 805 cartons of codeine, and124 cartons of tramadol at the Sifax 2 Terminal in Lagos.
Sources at the command confirmed to Financial Street, on Tuesday, that the container of illicit drugs was examined at the terminal in the afternoon of Monday, April 26.
The sources also told our correspondent that the said container with registration number, TEMU 6164202 has been under the watchlist of the agency for some time, and when eventually examined was found to contain large number of illicit drugs.
“The container has been on the watchlist of the Customs for a long time, until it was finally examined yesterday and such huge contraband was discovered.
“The container was concealed with sets of cooking pots in order to escape the eagle eyes of the Customs officers,” the source added.
Recall that Customs Area Controller of Apapa Command, Comptroller Yusuf Malanta, had recently showcased similar seizure of container of illicit drugs to the media at Unity Bonded Terminal in Festac Town, Lagos.However, on physical examination, the container was bearing 732 cartons, containing 1,444 bottles of codeine.Recall that codeine, a cough syrup, is banned by the Federal Government because of the negative effect on human lives.
