The Tin Can Island Port Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has handed over 2 x 40ft containers of medicaments falsely declared as vehicles, computer accessories and beauty products to the National Agency for Foods, Drugs, Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
The containers were said to have been intercepted following profiling, cargo selectivity and system checks of the advance electronic manifest by officers of the command.
According to a press statement issued in Lagos yesterday by the Public Relations Officer of the Tin Can Customs, Uche Ejesieme, the containers were handed over to NAFDAC last weekend.
He said that the Customs Controller in charge of the Command, Comptroller Bashar Yusuf is adopting new procedures to ensure that all Imports are electronically monitored with a view to identifying non-compliant declarations and other infractions which could jeopardize the change ideology of the Service.
He stated that the containers were flagged following some discrepancies in the documentation and declaration made in the Single Goods Declaration (SGD) form C 2010, hence the need for further checks.
The Controller pointed out that the declarations made on SGD C-No. 13473 of 09-02-2017 and SGD C- N0. 84118 of 24-08-2017 were at variance with the contents in the system bill lading, which fuelled the suspicion.
He gave the importers’ names as J. S. Akuasosi Nig. Enterprises Ltd. of No. 31 Balogun Street Amuwo Odofin, Lagos and Del-Dominion Gold Ventures of No. 5 Borno Crescent Apapa – Lagos and S. Chinax Services Nig. Ltd. of No. 5 Industrial Road Port-Harcourt and Robby Concept Int’l Agency Ltd. of Mini Flat 4 Nnewi building Apapa-Lagos, as declarants.
In view of this, he directed that the two containers be brought down to the Enforcement Unit for 100% Examination which revealed that container number MSKU 071916/0 was bearing 240 Cartons of New Royal Tramadol Hydrochloride 225mg Tablets, 240 Cartons of Double Extra Strong Tramadol 200mg.
Others in the container were 240 Cartons of Super Power Tramadol Hydrochloride
70 Cartons of Ibamol – Diclofenac Sodium Capsules 50mg,60 Cartons of Really Extra – Analgesique
The second container with numbers MRKU 256545/8 was bearing 240 Cartons of New Royal Tramadol Hydrochloride 225mg Tablets.
60 Cartons of Really Extra – Analgesique, Antipyretique, Anti-Inflammatoire Tablets.
Others are: 240 Cartons of Double Extra Strong Tramadol 200mg
240 Cartons of Super Power Tramadol Hydrochloride, 70 Cartons of Ibamol – Diclofenac Sodium Capsules 50mg
Speaking, Bashar said that "These declarations are contrary to the said to contain three (3) units of used vehicles, cartons of makeup kits, 850 cartons of computer accessories (keyboard and Mouse)"
"This infraction which is tantamount to UNTRUE DECLARATION falls under section 161 of The Customs and Excise Management Act CAP C45 LFN 2004 as amended"
While handing over the two (2) containers to NAFDAC officials, the Customs Area Controller reiterated his resolve to make the Command a model Port where compliant traders will enjoy all the tools for trade facilitation created by the Nigeria Customs Service in line with Global Best Practices.
He enjoined Importers and their Agents to continually uphold the tenets of integrity and due diligence in their declarations as anything contrary would be viewed seriously.
The containers were eventually handed over to the representative of the DG NAFDAC Abubakar Salisu Abdu, the Chief Regulatory Officer NAFDAC Port Health Tincan Island Port, Lagos.
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