MARKET NEWS

Anozie Egole

The Nigeria Customs Service, Apapa Area Command, on Thursday, announced that it intercepted two stolen exotic cars from Canada and other contraband worth N3.2bn.

The Customs Area Controller of the command, Babatunde Olomu, stated this while showcasing some of the seized containers to journalists at the command. He explained that the stolen vehicles include 2024 and 2023 models of Lexus cars falsely declared as food items.

“A 40ft container with registration number MRKU 0904594 was found to contain two stolen vehicles from Canada. A 2024 model of Lexus RX 450 with chassis number JTJCJNGA6R2017707 and another 2023 Lexus RX 350 with chassis number 2T2BAMCAPCO32741 falsely declared as food items,” Olomu said.

Olomu added that six containers with prohibited items, mostly unregistered pharmaceuticals, were also intercepted during the period under review. He said the containers also carried other contrabands, including cosmetics, used clothing, among others.

“We recently uncovered six containers laden with prohibited items, mostly unregistered pharmaceuticals. Other items in the seized containers were cosmetics, used clothing. These seizures have a duty-paid value of N3.2bn,” Olomu said.

Giving details of the seizures, the CAC explained that a 40ft container with the registration number SUDU 8685733 was found to contain 1,698 bottles of RTPL CSC Cough syrup with codeine concealed in  202 packages of water closet.

According to him, another 40ft container with the registration number MRSU 4846204 was found to contain 1,690 cartons of codeine syrup concealed in the toilet seat, adding that the two containers have a street value of N2.7bn.

“Also, a 40ft container with registration number ONEU 1153150 was found to contain 1,584 packages of  Globatin anti-marks &30g Clobetasol cream falsely declared as truck tires. Another 40ft one with registration number, MRSU 3258823, was found to contain Rabeprazole, for injection, 25mg Zahifranil tablets,1000mg vancomycin hydrochloride, cyproheptadine with vitamin B complex,” the CAC stressed.

He said that some of the containers had pharmaceutical products without a registration number from the National Agency for Foods and Drugs Administration and Control registration number, and were falsely declared as kitchen wares and tables.

Olomu mentioned that one of the 40ft containers with registration number SEKU 4716830 was found to contain 390 bales of used clothing, which contravenes the import prohibition law.

The CAC emphasised that some of the containers were intercepted as a result of international collaboration as well as local networking with officers and men of the Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency.

He maintained that while the NCS  facilitates trade and collects revenue for the government, “the service owes Nigerians the duty of protecting them from dangerous imports that are injurious to their health and wellbeing.”

Olomu reiterated that as officers, they are determined to avoid making Nigerians vulnerable to the selfish interests of merchants of death, whose stock in trade is to bring in harmful substances.

“In addition to contravening the  Nigeria Customs Service  Act  2023, these imported containers with prohibited medical items also violate the World Customs Organization’s Operation Stop IV, which is a global enforcement operation against trafficking of counterfeit, substandard, and unauthorized medical supplies,” Olomu added.

He maintained that three suspects have been arrested in connection with these seizures and are at various stages of interrogation to face the full wrath of the law.