Customs Intercepts N550m Tramadol, Rejects $54,300 Bribe At Lagos Port

On Monday, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) of the Tin-Can Island Command announced that it had detained a Nigerian importer named Boniface (last name withheld) for allegedly paying bribes totaling $54,330 (N50 million) to its officers in exchange for their assistance in seizing two 40-foot containers full of illegal drugs that had been imported from India.

The unregistered pharmaceutical products that were seized at the Lagos Port were valued N550 million, according to Compt. Adekunle Oloyede, Customs Area Controller, Tin-Can Island Port, who was speaking at a news conference in Lagos.

He continued by saying that the importer had misrepresented the illegal substances as electrical appliances because the merchandise lacked the necessary permissions and certificates for importing.

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He claimed that the Command Customs Intelligence Unit (CIU) promptly provided information to the command about the alleged importation of the aforementioned substances concealed in two 40-foot containers.

He claimed that as soon as the ship arrived at Tin Can Island Container Terminal (TICT), the containers were promptly moved to the enforcement station for a complete physical examination and additional research.

“The physical examination was conducted on both containers by enforcement officers, customs intelligence operatives, customs police and examination officers of the terminal on Tuesday, 22 August 2023 at about 14:00hours and Wednesday, 23 August 2023 at about 13:00hours, respectively.

“The details on the bill of lading stated the items laden were 1,016 packages containing electrical goods, ceiling fan 36 jewel (Cooper) and chilly cutters (stainless steel plastic) but after examination, the container was found to contain five cartons of timaking 120 tapentadol (Tramadol) hydrochloride carisoprodol capsule. Each carton contains 50 rolls, each roll contains five packets, each packet 200 tablets.

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“The second container, was laden with 1,021 packages but after examination, was found to contain 10 cartons of Tramadol),” he said.

Each carton contains 50 rolls with 10 packets and 10 tablets on each roll, he said.

According to the investigation process of the Service, he suggested that two suspects had been detained and were currently in the custody of the Enforcement Unit. He also said that one of the suspects in custody, Mr. Boniface Ike, had acknowledged being the owner (Importer) of the two containers and had asked to speak privately with the OC Enforcement, DC GI Aliyu, and Team Manager, CIU AC H Abubakar.

“I instructed my officers to play along, the request was granted in expectation of receiving vital information from the suspect but to their bewilderment, the suspect pleaded for his freedom from detention and release of the containers while offering gratification to the tune of N50 million equivalent to $54,330 (at the current exchange rate N920). The money was collected and kept in safe custody at the Enforcement Unit to be tendered as exhibit,” he said.

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However, he said that the Service had been forced to be more creative in developing strategies to combat smuggling activities, stop income leakage, and safeguard the safety of Nigerians due to the importers’ and agents’ continual fraud.

“The Nigeria Customs Service will not be a part of nefarious acts which will jeopardize the safety and lives of the citizens of our dear country, Nigeria, any fraudulent importer or agent who tries to perpetrate such acts will be prosecuted accordingly.

“The suspects, containers and the exhibit will be handed over to the agencies that are in charge of regulation of such importation as soon as the Service directs and the Service may decide to prosecute according to the Service Act, Nigeria Customs Service Act (2023),” he said.

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