Five suspects who offered an Officer of the Nigeria Customs Service N1 million bribe to allow them access to a 40ft container seized by the Service have been arrested.
The development was made known on Tuesday by the Area Controller, Area II Command, Onne-Port Harcourt, Comptroller Aliyu Galadima Saidu, when he spoke with newsmen.
Saidu said the suspects broke into the container on July 30, 2019 at about 10:40pm and stole the “drugs constructively warehoused and loaded same into two vehicles – Mercedes Benz Jeep with registration number: EPE 828 AR and Toyota Camry with registration number: EKY 159 BD.”
He gave the breakdown of the stolen drugs as 14 cartons (50 packs per carton) and 49 extra packs of cols Time Tablets; four cartons (22 packets per carton) and 10 extra packets of Really Extra Analgesic; two cartons (60 packets per carton) of Tramadol Tablets; one carton and 10 packs of Really Extra-analgesic and anti-inflammative tablets.
Seidu said an interim committee was immediately set up to investigate the incident, with the five suspects and the vehicles detained as at then.
He equally said an exhibit of N1 million was recovered from an Officer who was instructed to play along the deal in order to get to the architect of the conspiracy.
He said the five suspects have been taken before the court for prosecution.
Seidu said: “It is regrettable to note that while the Nigeria Customs Service is working round the clock to free this country of illicit goods, some recalcitrant and unpatriotic citizens are not relenting in their desperate urge to sabotage our efforts by spreading harmful drugs.
“The Nigeria Customs is poised to leaving no stone unturned at ensuring that these perpetrators know no sleep as long as they refuse to give up.
“However, the Command advises them to desist as crime pays not.”
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