On Thursday, the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) seized 40-foot
containers loaded with tramadol and other drugs from India worth
over N7.3billion. A large number of the dangerous drugs, NCS said, were
imported into the country by some scrupulous importers from India to
endanger the health of the nation. Attempt by the importers to bribe
Customs officers with over $400,000 (about N150million), to effect the
release of just one container out of the 40 seized, it was gathered, was
rebuffed by the officers. Addressing reporters at the Apapa command of
the Service while displaying the dollars yesterday, its
Comptroller-General, Col. Hameed Ali (retd), said NCS has also impounded
two helicopters that can be used for nefarious activities. One of the
helicopters with registration number SN-BLI, the Customs helmsman said,
was intended for export, and was concealed in container number
PONU7789246, while the second helicopter, a Cessna 182A, was imported
into the country from the United States of America for unknown
assignment. Ali said the first helicopter was falsely declared as 388
bags of cashew nuts, while the second was concealed in container number
MRKU 4457663 before they were intercepted by some vigilant and patriotic
officers of the command. Investigation, the CGC said, was ongoing to
fish out the owners of the two helicopters. He said three suspects with
some Customs officers that were involved in the clearance of some of the
containers laden with Tramadol drugs from the port have been arrested.Nigerian Customs officers reject $400k bribe during the seizure of N7.3bn worth of Tramadol from India
On Thursday, the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) seized 40-foot
containers loaded with tramadol and other drugs from India worth
over N7.3billion. A large number of the dangerous drugs, NCS said, were
imported into the country by some scrupulous importers from India to
endanger the health of the nation. Attempt by the importers to bribe
Customs officers with over $400,000 (about N150million), to effect the
release of just one container out of the 40 seized, it was gathered, was
rebuffed by the officers. Addressing reporters at the Apapa command of
the Service while displaying the dollars yesterday, its
Comptroller-General, Col. Hameed Ali (retd), said NCS has also impounded
two helicopters that can be used for nefarious activities. One of the
helicopters with registration number SN-BLI, the Customs helmsman said,
was intended for export, and was concealed in container number
PONU7789246, while the second helicopter, a Cessna 182A, was imported
into the country from the United States of America for unknown
assignment. Ali said the first helicopter was falsely declared as 388
bags of cashew nuts, while the second was concealed in container number
MRKU 4457663 before they were intercepted by some vigilant and patriotic
officers of the command. Investigation, the CGC said, was ongoing to
fish out the owners of the two helicopters. He said three suspects with
some Customs officers that were involved in the clearance of some of the
containers laden with Tramadol drugs from the port have been arrested.
