Hard drugs, military, and police hardware, and other items have been seized by the Murtala Muhammed Airport Command (MMAC) of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) in Lagos State.
The shipment was found in the domestic wing’s cargo area, operated by Skyway Aviation Handling Company (SAHCO).
At a Tuesday media event, Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Sambo Dangaladima announced the interception.
162 boxes of the illegal tramadol hydrochloride, strength 225 and 250 milligrams, together with police and military equipment make up the substances.
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The pharmaceuticals, with an estimated Duty Paid Value (DPV) of over N14 billion, were imported from India and Pakistan and transported through Addis Abeba to Lagos.
The unlawful narcotics, according to Dangaladima, included 92,387 packs, 929,970 sachets, and 9,299,700 tablets.
“These 225 & 250mg are over the legal limits set forth in the enacted laws. Tramadol Hydrochloride tablets total 9,299,700, with a DPV of N13.8 billion.
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The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency will receive the drugs and a suspect, Samson Olayiwan Tantolohun, of 29 Okejide Street, Ejigbo in Lagos (NDLEA).
The parcels were discovered in two AWBs, 118-11860343/3 and 118-18860332/5, which were intercepted weeks before the 2023 general elections.
They included 352 pieces of ballistic body armored pads, 309 pieces of military helmets, 106 pieces of military armless jackets, and 119 pieces of police badges.
Other items include 105 pieces of ballistic chest plates, 33 pieces of body-side ballistic pads, and 5 bulletproof jackets.
The linked suspects were unable to present the end user certificate. The suspects, Mr. Olaolu Marquis, and the goods have been taken into custody.
An investigation is ongoing, according to Dangaladima.
The Comptroller did add, nevertheless, that between January and December 2022, the command generated N69.77 billion.
