CUSTOMS: FOU, ZONE C, OWERRI, INTERCEPTS OVER ONE MILLION TABLETS OF TRAMADOL WORTH MORE THAN A BILLION NAIRA

By Okey Iroegbu 

The Nigeria Customs Service Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone C, Owerri, has remained the final bus stop for economic saboteurs and smugglers in illicit drugs meant for the Southeast. In an information reaching this media from the command announced a major

breakthrough in the fight against illicit drug trafficking. Comptroller Bishir Balogun, the Customs Area Controller of the command disclosed that, through strategic intelligence and coordinated enforcement, operatives intercepted a truck loaded with over 1 Million tablets of Tramadol and 10,000 bottles of Barcadin Codeine syrup (100ml each) on March 15, 2026, along theOkada/Ofosu Expressway in Benin City, Edo State. "When flagged down, the driver attempted to evade officers but

eventually parked, jumped out, and fled into nearby bushland. A subsequent search revealed the drugs cleverly concealed among legitimate goods to evade detection. The seized drugs has a total Duty Paid Value (DPV) of One Billion and Fifty-Six Million Naira Only (N1,056,000,000.00)," the report reads.The Customs Area Controller emphasized that the operation reflects the Service’s intensified crackdown on the trafficking of prohibited and controlled substances, particularly

Tramadol and Codeine, which have been linked to rising cases of drug abuse and criminal activities across the nation. He reiterated the need to cut down on this illicit trade because of the negative effect it has on the profoundly the youths who are more vulnerable to the dangers of taking them. The seizure underscores the Service's unwavering commitment to curbing the smuggling of these prohibited substances which fuel drug addiction and crime nationwide. He therefore warned smugglers and criminal networks to abandon their illegal activities, as the Nigeria Customs Service will continue deploying intelligence-led strategies to safeguard public health and national security. The command is doing everything possible to get to the root of the organized smuggling in this dangerous drugs. It is for this reason that the seized consignment is in custody, with investigations underway to apprehend those responsible, the report confirms.