The Nigeria Customs Service’s Tincan Island Command stated that it turned down a N50 million payment that a drug smuggler who was importing tramadol and other drugs proposed in exchange for the release of his container.
Adekunle Oloyede, the Customs Area Comptroller of Tincan, stated this to reporters on Monday at the command.
He claimed that the defendant, Boniface Ike, acknowledged ownership of two 40-foot containers found to be carrying drugs and valued at N550m in duty payments.
One of the suspects in detention, Boniface Ike, admitted that he is the owner (importer) of the two containers and requested a private meeting with the command, the official added.
“I told my cops to play along, and they did so in the hope of getting crucial information from the subject. To their surprise, however, the suspect offered satisfaction in the amount of N50m, which is equal to $54,330 at the current exchange rate of N920/$, in exchange for his release from custody and the release of the containers. The cash was gathered and stored securely in the enforcement office in preparation for being presented as an exhibit.
Oloyede noted that two individuals had been taken into custody and were being held by the command’s enforcement team.
He said that the medicinal packages were from India.
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control regulates the unregistered pharmaceutical items, according to Oloyede.
He emphasized that the medications lacked the import permits and certificates that were necessary.
He stated that the agencies in charge of regulating such importation will receive the suspects, containers, and exhibit.
