The Nigeria Customs Service has transferred 15 containers of seized counterfeit pharmaceuticals and substandard tomato paste worth N20.5 billion to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control.
The intercepted consignment, discovered at Onne Port in Port Harcourt, included 1.3 million bottles of codeine syrup, 12.6 million Tramadol tablets, and 9.3 million falsified Diclofenac tablets alongside four containers of unwholesome tomato paste. Customs Comptroller-General Bashir Adeniyi formally handed over the items to NAFDAC Director-General Mojisola Adeyeye on Saturday.
Professor Adeyeye commended the Customs for the collaboration while issuing a stern warning to merchants of counterfeit products. “Recent threats against our staff won’t deter us from protecting Nigerians from these dangerous goods,” she stated, referencing attempts to intimidate agency officials.
The NAFDAC chief highlighted severe health risks posed by such products, including organ damage, cancer risks from expired additives, and food poisoning. She urged public vigilance, encouraging citizens to report suspicious products through the agency’s offices or social media channels.
This seizure marks another milestone in the inter-agency crackdown on fake and substandard goods flooding Nigerian markets. Authorities say the operation demonstrates strengthened surveillance at the nation’s ports despite smugglers’ evolving tactics.
