Yola (Nigeria): The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) handed over 91 cartons of expired tramadol capsules worth N92 million to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) in Adamawa on Wednesday.
Mr Garba Bashir, Customs Controller in charge of Adamawa/Taraba Area Command, said the tramadol capsules were seized in Mubi, Adamawa, following coordinated and intelligence-driven operations.
“God forbid, if these expired tramadol capsules were not withdrawn from circulation and are taken by innocent Nigerians, it could lead to high morbidity and mortality, human capital deterioration and unfair market competition.
“Additionally, the proliferation of these substances ignites drug abuse among youth, giving room for increased rates of violent crimes, aggression and social unrest,” he said.
According to him, seizing these expired and counterfeit substances is a gateway in combating organised crime, disrupting smuggling networks and preventing the circulation of dangerous substances.
“The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimated that over one million people globally die each year from consuming substandard or falsified medical products, with Africa bearing the most considerable impact.
“These expired substances were seized in accordance with section 55 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023, and they shall be handed over to the NAFDAC immediately.
“It is important to note that the destruction of this expired medicament shall be carried out jointly with NAFDAC after this official handing over in due course,” he said.
Garba explained that the area command had recorded 29 instances of seizures with aggregate Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N112,590 million within a period of six weeks.
He said other seizures made include 20,600 Litres of Petroleum packed in 824 Jerry cans of 25 Litres capacity each, 54 cartons of foreign soaps and 64 pieces of complete donkey skin.
He further said that the petrol would be immediately auctioned and the money would be deposited into the federation account.
In his remarks, Mr Gonzuk Bedima, NAFDAC Coordinator in Adamawa, appreciated the efforts of the NCS in reducing the circulation of expired and harmful substances of abuse and pledged more collaboration.
