Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit, Zone A has intercepted 5,459 50-kilogramme bags of foreign rice (equivalent to ine trailer loads), 18,100 litres of Premium Motor Spirit and other contraband valued at N872.5 million.
The service also said on Tuesday that a total of 11 smugglers were arrested in connection with some of the seizures.
It’s Acting Controller, Hussein Ejibunu listed other seizures as 376 bales of used clothes,
1,926 cartons of frozen poultry products, 337 pieces of used compressors, 3 X 40 feet containers found to contain 3,838 pieces of used tyres, 13 used vehicles (Tokunbo), 396 cartons of frozen fish.
The acting controller added that the sum of N71.25 million was generated through conscious and thorough documentary checks, followed by the issuance of demand notices on consignments that were found to have paid lesser amounts than the appropriate Customs duty.
He noted that the strategic deployment of officers with intelligence-driven in anti-smuggling operations led to the arrest of a Toyota Highlander with an ingenious concealment of suspected bags of foreign parboiled rice at Iju-Ojuore, Ogun State.
Ejibunu explained: “Ingenious concealment is an activity that plays a significant role in smuggling operations. It allows smugglers to hide illicit goods from detection by concerned authorities. It is important to note that smuggling is illegal and a crime that has negative social, economic, and security implications.
“It is our resolve to continuously work hard to improve detection methods with the aid of intelligence.
“These seizures reflect our commitment to the discharge of our functions; aimed at protecting the nation’s economy and preventing the importation of prohibited and harmful products from entering our domestic markets. This calls for the collaborative efforts of all citizens to support the Service by providing useful and timely information that would aid the anti-smuggling drive.”
