Customs uncovers 1387 cartons of tramadol at onne port

By Adebiyi sunday

Customs Service Area ll Command, Onne Port, Rivers State, has uncovered 1387 cartons of prohibited tramadol tablets concealed in 1000 cartons of ceramic tiles.

The Customs Area Controller of the command, Auwal Mohammed, who showed the seizure to newsmen in Onne, said it was found in one 40ft container with No: MRKU0764717 that was discovered through intelligence at the West African Container Terminal (WACT) facility.

The CAC, in a press statement issued by the command’s Public Relations Officer, Ifeoma Onuigbo, said the drugs, which were packed in 120mg capsules, 20 sachets per pack and 18 packs per carton, were picked following a tip-off from international security network.

Mohammed said 100 per cent examination is one of the key aspects of clearance procedure in Nigeria, and warned importers that false declaration would not guarantee easy movement of consignments.

The CAC explained that every container that arrives at Onne Port is subjected to 100 per cent examination after relevant duties and charges have been paid and necessary procedures followed.

He said no compromise to examination and all cargoes must be examined. And this is one of the results you are seeing here.

“We are always ready to conduct 100 per cent examination. We will not be pushed to do anything in a hurry as the clearance procedure is well explained. There is no compromise to examination as all cargoes must be examined. If you are just doing the ordinary surface examination, you will assume that the whole container is laden with ceramic tiles.

“But because of the meticulous way we conduct our examination, we are able to separate between the items used for concealment; which is the ceramic tiles and the actual intent, cargo or consignment being imported,” Mohammed said.

While investigations are on, Mohammed assured that the importer and the agent, if found guilty, would be prosecuted in a competent court of law.