Customs impounds 120 containers of fake drug

Ayodele Adesanmi, Abuja - 13.08.2008

THE Nigeria Customs Service has seized 120 containers of fake and expired drugs from importers.

The Comptroller-General of Customs, Alhaji Hamman Bello, who disclosed this when he visited the Director General of National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Professor Dora Akunyili, said the goods were seized from importers he called economic saboteurs.

He said the Customs and NAFDAC were working towards the same goal of ridding the society of fake drugs and expired products, and called for cooperation between them.

According to him, “we would not release any good that is not properly stamped. We came in with vision and mission to restore the good name of Customs and it would pay us if NAFDAC would cooperate with us in achieving this.”

He said he would ensure 48 hours clearance of cargo “ if the importers cooperate with us in this direction because they are central to such programme.”

The Customs boss stressed that “this would not be possible if importers refused to cooperate with us in the area of declaring what they have in the cargo. I want them to say the truth and let us know exactly what they are bringing in not to go and hide drugs in a bag as such an act would not make us achieve the 48 hours clearance of cargo.”

He promised to instill discipline into the service and make the nation proud of it, saying that he could not do it without giving the workers a living wage.

Professor Akunyili assured that her agency would cooperate with the customs in order for it to realise its objectives and mission.