No fewer than 60 freight forwarders were arrested by the Apapa Command of the Nigeria Customs Service for their alleged involvement in the importation of illicit substances in 2022.
This is even as it said it impounded 157 containers valued at about N14.4 billion allegedly smuggled into the country by some of the suspects.
Out of the seizures by the command, tramadol topped the list of drugs seized last year.
Briefing newsmen, the Customs Area Controller, Apapa Command, Malanta Ibrahim Yusuf, said the suspects were arrested while attempting to clear containers of illicit substances.
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The controller said all the suspects have been handed over to relevant government agencies.
“In the year under review, a total of 157 containers with a duty-paid value of N14.4 billion were seized, as against 102 containers with a DPV of N31.8 billion seized in 2021.
“Our record shows that fake and prohibited drugs without necessary National Agency For Food Drugs and Control (NAFDAC) certification and overdose drugs of tramadol top the list of seizures made last year.
“So far, a total of 60 suspects have been arrested in connection with some of the seizures and are at various stages of investigation and prosecution by other agencies of government we handed them over to,’’ he said.
