- NDLEA partners ANLCA to curb Drug Trafficking
By Kenneth Jukpor
The Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) has tasked the helmsmen and leaders of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in the country to undergo drug tests and publicize their results to lead the nation’s war against drug abuse and trafficking.
ANLCA’s Vice President, Dr. Kayode Farinto made this call when the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Commander for Apapa Port, Ameh Inalegwu paid a working visit to the ANLCA headquarters in Lagos, today.
The ANLCA Vice President posited that the leadership of MDAs should show example by doing drug tests and making the results public as this would show commitment to rid the society of the menace of drug and substance abuse.
Meanwhile, in a bid to tackle the menace of drug trafficking, abuse and other associated ills, the NDLEA has strengthened its partnership with the ANLCA to curb import and export of drugs via ports.
According to the NDLEA boss, the visit was part of efforts to enhance partnerships with crucial port stakeholders in a bid to curb import and export of narcotics at the Apapa seaport.
Ameh said; “NDLEA’s task shouldn’t be left to the agency alone. This issue of drug abuse and drug trafficking should be a concern to everyone, especially freight forwarders”
He encouraged the freight forwarding association to provide NDLEA with information about suspicious cargoes discovered in the course of their business at the ports.
The NDLEA boss also advised the freight agents to do background checks on their clients (importers and exporters), warning that they shouldn’t only be concerned about the monetary benefits of their businesses.
“As a freight agent, it is safer that importers take their non-compliant and illicit goods to someone else than to implicate yourself. If there is a problem with your goods, don’t tell us that you don’t know the importer. If you allow illicit drugs to pass through with your licence, you’re throwing a stone in the market and you can tell who it would hit,” Ameh stated.
Ameh, who was recently posted to the Apapa Port, assured that NDLEA would soon commence sensitization workshops to engage freight forwarders on drug trafficking and drug abuse.
In his remarks, the Vice President of ANLCA, Dr. Farinto advised the NDLEA team to work with the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) in a bid to get more freight forwarding practitioners onboard with the sentization.
Farinto also warned freight forwarders to jettison harmful cargoes such as drugs, arguing that the law of karma would definitely have its way by making the children of drug importers and freight agents become drug addicts.
He, however, encouraged ANLCA members to be knowledgeable and make findings on their consignments, noting that some importers might say they are importing chemicals whereas they were importing drugs melted into liquid form.
