The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) PH I Area Command, Port Harcourt, has intercepted Five Hundred and Fifty Million Naira (N550,000,000) worth of illicit drugs at the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
This was disclosed by Comptroller Mustapha Hashim, the Customs Area Controller, during a press briefing held on Wednesday, 18 September 2024.
According to Comptroller Hashim, the seizure, which occurred on 2 September 2024, involved nine packages of Tafradol-200mg, a brand of Tramadol.
“The consignment, originating from India and arriving via Lufthansa Airlines from Frankfurt, Germany, contained 54,289 tablets of Tramadol. The packages, falsely declared as medical equipment, were detected by customs officers based on intelligence,” Hashim stated.
“During the operation, a customs licence agent responsible for the shipment was arrested. Both the suspect and the illicit drugs were taken into custody for further investigation”, he explained.
The CAC emphasised the ongoing collaboration with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and other agencies in combating drug trafficking.”The seized drugs will be formally handed over to NDLEA for further investigation and safekeeping.”
He also issued a stern warning to those involved in smuggling, reiterating that the Nigeria Customs Service is equipped with the advanced technology and well-trained personnel capable of intercepting such illegal activities.
