Customs seizes unregistered drugs worth N5.8m in Sokoto

The Nigeria Customs Service, Sokoto/Zamfara Area Command, has intercepted unregistered pharmaceutical products with a Duty Paid Value of ₦5.8m along the Illela-Sokoto Road.

The seized products, comprising anti-cold drugs, amodiaquine, paracetamol, and quinine, were on Wednesday handed over to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) for further investigation and necessary regulatory action.

The Acting Customs Area Controller, Sokoto/Zamfara Area Command, Deputy Comptroller Haliru Abdullahi, disclosed this on Wednesday during the handover ceremony at the command headquarters in Sokoto.

Abdullahi said the seizure followed credible intelligence and the efforts of the command’s patrol teams, adding that the operation was part of ongoing efforts to prevent the circulation of unregistered pharmaceutical products.

He said the seized items included 360 packages of anti-cold drugs, 500 packages of amodiaquine, 140 packages of paracetamol, and 100 packages of quinine.

According to him, the importation of the products contravenes Section 55 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023, and NAFDAC regulations.

He warned smugglers and dealers in unregistered pharmaceutical products to desist from the practice, noting that such activities could endanger public health.

“Let me use this opportunity to warn smugglers and those who deal in such unwholesome products that the Sokoto/Zamfara Command, under my watch, will not tolerate any form of smuggling,” Abdullahi said.

He added, “We remain vigilant and committed to safeguarding the health of citizens and the nation’s economy.”

The controller commended the officers who carried out the interception and appreciated NAFDAC for its continued collaboration with the Customs Service in combating the illegal trade in pharmaceutical products.

Receiving the seized items, the NAFDAC State Coordinator in Sokoto, AbdulSalam Lawal, praised the Customs Service for its vigilance and sustained partnership with the agency.

Speaking on behalf of NAFDAC’s Director-General and management, Lawal described inter-agency cooperation as essential to preventing unsafe and unregistered products from reaching the public.

“On behalf of the Director-General of NAFDAC and the entire management of the agency, I want to express our sincere appreciation to the Nigerian Customs Service for the wonderful collaboration we’ve been enjoying,” he said.

He said the partnership has continued to support efforts to rid the country of unwholesome products, expressing hope for stronger cooperation between the two agencies.

“This is the only way we can rid the country of some of these unwholesome products from circulation. We sincerely appreciate the efforts of your men,” Lawal added.

The handover reflects ongoing collaboration between the Customs Service and NAFDAC to curb the circulation of unregistered pharmaceutical products and protect Nigerians from potential health risks.