Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit, Zone A in Lagos has arrested 136 smugglers in connection with 139 trucks of foreign parboil rice (83,170 50kg bags of rice), 13,706 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) stacked in 25 litres kegs and other contraband valued at N10.4 billion contraband.
The Controller of the unit, Comptroller Hussein Ejibunu explained yesterday that the unit made 1,119 seizures between January and December 2023 in the South west of the country.
He listed other seizure impounded from smugglers in the period to include: vehicles, marijuana, tramadol, used tyres, poultry products, foot wears, 8,372 kilogrammes of Indian Hemp, 2,942 pieces of tyres, 2,153 bales of used clothes, 3,095 cartons of frozen poultry and 320 cartons illicit drugs.
He said: “15 pieces of bullet proof jackets, 15 pieces of jack knives and 68 pieces of military camouflage, 450 drums X 106 kg of carbide, 1 X 40 feet and 2 X 20 feet containers found to contain charcoal, 132 units of foreign used vehicles were seized.
“A total number of 136 persons were arrested at various points within our area of responsibility. They were suspected to be smugglers, and after due diligence of uncompromising of profiling and investigation, they were charged to court and are at different stages of prosecution.”
Ejibunu stressed 16 people were convicted through the Federal High Courts for committing offences of improper importation, assault of Customs officers, being in possession of foreign parboiled rice and for being in possession of Pangolin scales meant for export.
The comptroller explained that some other smuggling related cases instituted in the courts were at various stages of prosecution and would be followed up diligently, saying that in year 2024, the service would continue to follow all pending court cases to logical conclusions through its legal seat.
Also, he said that the unit was able to recover a total of N851,7 million as revenue through meticulous document checking.
According to him, “We were able to identify shortfalls in duty payments from which demand notices were issued and accurate revenue were recovered. These are revenues that would have been lost by the Federal Government to the pockets of some non-compliant business men.
“I want to reiterate that our battle to prevent smuggling will be intensified this year as we shall not relent in making seizures, arrests and prosecution of criminals who contravene the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023.
“If they don’t desist from their criminal ways, this year will be tougher for them because they will lose their investments and freedom when arrested. Let me put on record that we shall lawfully arrest and prosecute any individual involved in the attack of our officers who are discharging their legitimate responsibilities. No attacker of our personnel will be spared from facing the full wrath of the law.”
