The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Col. Hameed Ali (rtd) on Thursday revealed that the Apapa Command of the service have intercepted 40 × 40ft containers of pharmaceutical products with Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N7.31 billion.

Ali, who disclosed this while addressing newsmen in Lagos on intercepted pharmaceutical products, including Tramadol said the Service was able to achieve the feat through vigilance and intelligence gathering as well as information it received from the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).

He said: “I commend the Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye and her management team for their collaboration in the attainment of the interception.

“It is indeed worrisome to note that there are Nigerians who are ready to make money at the expense of human lives by bringing in such quantity of drugs that have grave consequences on health and national security.

“In the criminal desperation, importers of these items offered bribes to the tune of ₦150 million to my officers to effect the release of just one 40ft container with promises of even bigger sums to follow in the event that their attempt succeeds.

“The officers played along and eventually arrested three suspects with the money.”

He further stressed that the intercepted Tramadol and other harmful pharmaceutical products, the bribe and the three suspects would be thoroughly investigated in order to bring all those remotely connected to the seizures to justice.