Customs destroy N12.8bn contraband in Lagos…

The Nigeria Customs Service, on Thursday, destroyed 96 containers of various illicit and expired drugs worth N12.8bn in Lagos State.

Addressing journalists in the Epe area of the state during the destruction of the contrabands, the Assistant Comptroller General of Customs, Adonye Dappa-Williams, said the goods were brought for destruction after court condemnation.

Dappa-Williams said destroying the illicit products would discourage the importation and consumption of the products, adding that the importers of these products would soon be made to face the full wrath of the law.

A total of 16 brands of illicit and expired drugs brought for destruction included tramadol tablets, codeine cough syrup, diclofenac tablets and injections, pramo sex, yagra tablets, black cobra tablets, sildenafil citrate tablets and chaka pain extra tablets, mebendazole tablets, royal chest lung tablets, Dr. ibramol tablets, omeprazole capsules, and cotrimoxazole tablets, diavita loperamide capsules, diarrhoea stop, and chlorpheniramine malfate capsules.

Speaking further, Dappa-Williams said, “We also have other products that failed to meet the statutory import guidelines for destruction. The aforementioned items have all been condemned by courts of competent jurisdiction with a duty paid value of N12.9bn”

He reiterated that the harmful effects of these illicit items on our society cannot be overemphasized as it had destroyed countless lives of youths, and families and led to an upsurge in crime in society.

Also speaking, a representative of the National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control, Jamila Ashiru, said the seizure was done in collaboration with other agencies.