Importers of contraband Tramadol drugs attempted to bribe their way into the country, the Nigeria Customs Service has said.
The importers, according to the NCS, offered over $400,000 (about N150 million) to be able to retrieve one of 40 by 40 feet containers which were seized by the operatives.
The containers, found to be filled with Tramadol and other dangerous pharmaceutical products worth over N7.3 billion, were being imported from India.
NCS Comptroller-General, Col. Hameed Ali (Retd), said on Thursday that two helicopters that can be used for nefarious activities have also been impounded.
Ali said one of the helicopters, with registration number SN-BLI, was intended for export and was concealed in a container which was falsely declared as 388 bags of cashew nuts. The second, a Cessna 182A, was concealed in another container and imported into the country from the United States of America for unknown assignment.
He said three suspects and some Customs officers that were involved in the clearance of the drug-laden containers have been arrested, while the Customs were on the trail of the owners of both helicopters.
