The Apapa Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has made a spectacular seizure of a deadlier new variant of Tramadol called Trapaking tablets which has a higher potency than normal Tramadol.

The interception and seizure made at the Classic marine bonded terminal, Ago Palace Way, Festac, Lagos, exposed the novel way the importers of these illicit drugs now use to bring in the prohibited item.

Briefing journalists Thursday at the place of seizure, the Area Controller of Apapa Customs command, Comptroller Ibrahim Malanta Yusuf, said the seised drug, imported from India, is three times deadlier than the normal tramadol.

According to him, the new variant of the drug was in 20 cartons of 225mg of 838,500 tablets and 90,000 of 120mg tablets.

The street value of the seized item was put at N1.400billio billion with each cartoon worth about N70million.

While showcasing the drugs concealed in jumbled cartoons of candies and bubble gums in a 40-footed container, Comptroller Yusuf said the consignment came in from India but was intercepted through intelligence and collaborative efforts of his officers and other sister security agencies.

He revealed that the Customs operatives have been trailing the illicit cargo since it came into the port on July 3rd, 2022 as the importer, who initially abandoned it, was buying time and delaying its declaration in order to throw off the officers from its trail.

When the importer was then ready to take it out of the port, he made two false declarations of spare parts on item one and another declaration of chocolates on item two.

Comptroller Yusuf said an investigation is in top gear as the Customs and other relevant agencies have substantial information and evidence to track down the importer.

“The importer was trying to buy time to see whether he can undermine our officers but we are really on top of our game and we will continue to be on top of our game. If the importer is not tired of losing his investments, we too will not be tired of making him lose his investments and ensure that he is tried and brought to book.

“The importer made two declarations. He made a declaration of spare parts on item one and chocolate on item 2 but he didn’t make the declaration on the drugs.

“He cleverly concealed these drugs at the back end of the container just to undermine our operatives. We searched the container and we found out there are 20 cartons of these drugs.

“These drugs are deadlier than the normal tramadol and you can imagine the kind of havoc it could cause if it enters society.

“Most of the criminal actions taking place today in our society are with the aid of these kinds of drugs.”

Malanta commended operatives of the command resident at the terminal for the seizure, adding that the collaborative efforts between the Customs and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency ( NAFDAC) are yielding positive results.

“We have talked about our layers of control architectures and apart from the collaboration and intelligence received, This is purely the work of operatives here in this command.

“The joint operation with the NDLEA and other security agencies has also yielded good results in the command and we will continue to do that to make the port a safe and secure environment for compliant traders and for goods that are in tandem with Customs and Excise Management Act.

“We thank God who gave us the wisdom to track and seize these drugs because it contravenes sections 46 and 47 of the CEMA Act.

“I’m advising importers to desist from this kind of importation because it is harmful to our health. We will trail the importer with the support of our officers and other security agencies and bring the importer to book,” he said.

“The CGC has initiated the e- Customs modernisation – that is complete automation of Customs business processes which begins even from the port of loading to the port of origin where e-manifest will be x-rayed right in the port of loading before it comes to a port of destination and that will show the content of cargo there.

“We believe that with the introduction of the application, illicit drugs and other contraband will be tracked.

“We will soon start pre-scanning operations where even containers going to off-dock terminals will be scanned and remote images will be analysed, stored and anytime the importer/ agent makes a declaration, the declaration will reveal the kind of item in the system.

“With this kind of automation and trade facilitation apparatus, we will make sure things fall in the right place.

The Commander, NDLEA, Apapa Area Special Command, Ishiaku Yusuf Kwajaffa, said this is the first time the agency is coming across the new variant of tramadol which potency is three times higher than tramadol.

“This is a new variant of tramadol and this is the first time we are coming across this particular one called tapentadol.

“If you look at this capsule critically, you will see it is written 120mg but it is just a cover. The actual potency of the drug is three times higher than the normal tramadol,”

He, however, said the agency with the collaboration of the Customs will continue to make the importation of these illicit drugs very risky and warned the perpetrators to desist from trading in them, advising them to instead embrace legitimate trade.