· Scanners cannot differentiate Tramadol from Paracetamol—Customs
Findings by Shipping Position Daily have revealed that the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has made a cumulative seizure of hard drugs worth over N20 billion at the Lagos ports in the first quarter of 2023 alone.
According to findings by our correspondent, the seizures include Tramadol, Cannabis Sativa and Cannabis Indica.
Confirming the seizures in an exclusive chat with our correspondent last week, the Director Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Mr Femi Babafemi, said a total of 720 cartons of Tramadol numbering 143,800 000 Pills (10386kg) were seized at the Apapa port alone in the first quarter of 2023 while the Tin Can port recorded 2370kg of cannabis sativa and 434.95kg of cannabis Indica.
Babafemi informed that the total street value of the Tramadol seized at the Lagos port is worth over N15.84 billion, explaining that the cost of a carton of Tramadol is about N22 million.
Although he did not confirm the value of the Cannabis Sativa and Indica that were seized at the Tin Can Port, our correspondent however gathered that the street value of the cannabis sativa and cannabis indica is about N2 billion going by some of the value given to the illicit drugs by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).
The enormous seizures have so far made Lagos ports of Apapa and Tincan Island a top destination points for illicit drugs; especially tramadol and others as cartels have found a safe haven in the two entry points despite the installation of scanners.
Stakeholders have alleged that the scanners that were installed at the Lagos ports are grossly ineffective to address the challenges of cargo examination.
The industry stakeholders, especially clearing agents in chats with our correspondent noted that many of the consignments at the ports still go through 100 per cent physical examination. They allege that Customs officers sabotage the process in order to have physical interface with clearing agents.
NDLEA Intercepts Illicit Drugs In Imported Car, Food Items
The National Coordinator of the 100 Percent Compliance Team of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF); Alhaji Tanko Ibrahim alleged that with the scanners, ammunition and drugs could still be successfully concealed without being detected by the scanners.
Giving details, Tanko explained that hard drugs can be concealed in a consignment carrying pharmaceutical drugs and the scanning machine will not be able to identify the hard drugs.
The NAGAFF Compliance Team Coordinator however, noted that the implementation of e-Customs will address these issues, even as he added that the government’s revenue drive which is one of the reasons for acquiring the scanners is still low, because Customs officers still prefer physical examination where they allegedly make money for themselves.
Confirming the inability of the scanners, he added: “This scanning is basically for two issues which are security and revenue. But it is not working for security because if you pick a gun and put it inside a 40ft container that carries spare parts, that machine cannot identify those guns. If you conceal Tramadol in pharmaceutical drugs, that machine cannot identify the drugs. In the issue of security, the scanning has failed. You can get away with drugs and ammunition. When you talk about revenue, it is 50/50”.
Also speaking, the National Secretary of the Association of Registered Freight Forwarders of Nigeria (AREFFN), Mr Frank Obiekezie said that when cargoes are scanned and the Customs are not satisfied, they subject those containers to 100 percent physical examination. According to him, all pharmaceutical products coming into the ports are scanned.
Speaking further, he stated that some importers and clearing agents are not comfortable with the scanners, because they do shady deals. He stressed that scanning of cargoes at the ports is the way to go, but Customs will however always create an avenue for human interface.
“If a container is scanned and they are not satisfied, it will go for physical examination and all drugs will go for physical examination. We are not running away from scanning. You know that some of our colleagues and some other importers who do certain kinds of jobs are not comfortable with the scanners. Scanning is the way to go, but you know the human element. Sometimes, there might be some downtime because it is a machine”, he said.
However, defending why there is an influx of hard drugs coming into the country via the seaport despite the installation of scanners the Customs Public Relations Officer of Apapa Command, Abubakar Usman recently in a chat with our correspondent confirmed that the scanners may not be able to differentiate hard drugs from other pharmaceutical products.
He also admitted that the scanner cannot provide details such as, the production and expiry dates of drugs, except they are physically examined. He added that these are some of the reasons all pharmaceutical cargoes are not scanned but are subjected to physical examination at the ports.
“The scanners can detect pharmaceutical products, but cannot tell you which one is Tramadol or which is Paracetamol. The scanner cannot also detect which drugs have registration numbers or give you the details of the production date or expiry date. That is why such cargoes must undergo physical examination” he said.
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