Apapa Customs Nabs Medbury Medical Staff Over Failed Attempt Of Tramadol Theft

The Apapa Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS),on Wednesday said it nabbed two suspects in possession of 10 cartons of tramadol concealed in an ambulance belonging to Medbury Medical Services at the Lagos Ports Complex (LPC)

The Controller of the Command, Comptroller Muhammad Abba-Kura said that the intercepted cartons of tramadol  worth N2.8 million.

The two suspects, Michael Ajibade (driver) and Olatunde Emmanuel (dockworker), were said to have been intercepted by customs officers at 11p.m last Friday on their way out of the port in the siren blaring ambulance.

According to the Apapa Customs Area Controller,  Muhammed Abba-Kura who briefed journalistsl said the ambulance was usually stationed at the port complex for medical emergencies and belonged to Medbury Medical Services, an industrial medical services provider.

The Medbury Medical Services,

 ambulance was stationed at the port to provide rescue and first aid services for dockworkers.

The Comptroller while briefing journalists at the command headquarters, said the cartons of tramadol were impounded when the driver of the ambulance was trying to smuggle the items out of the port in pretence that it was an emergency.

According to him, “On the night of Friday 12th July 2019 at about 2300 hours, my officers on routine surveillance intercepted an ambulance (Hyundai) with registration number LND 605 XW LAGOS suspected to be laden with offending articles of trade.

“Upon examination, the said ambulance was discovered to be carrying ten cartons of 225mg Tramadol Tablets valued at N2,814,139.00.

“Investigation into the source of stolen tramadol revealed that the drugs were pilfered from an un-declared  container. Physical examination revealed that 211 cartons of the drugs were missing from the container,” he said.

Comptroller Abba-Kura stated that the remaining 572 cartons of 225mg Tramadol tablets found in the container is valued at N59,378,323.09.