Between May 16th and June 12th 2018, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone ‘A’ Ikeja, confiscated various contraband, goods and vehicles with a duty paid value (DPV) of One Billion, Three Hundred and Forty Five Million, Five Hundred and Seventy Two Thousand, Three Hundred and Thirteen Naira,(N1,345,572,313)
Also, the unit through its interventions recovered Fifty NineMillion, Five Hundred and Six Thousand, Seven Hundred and Seventy Three Naira, Twenty Five kobo (N59,506,773.25) from underpayments making a cumulative of One Billion, Four Hundred and Five Million, Seventy Nine Thousand, Eighty Six Naira only (N1,405,079,086) within the weeks under review.
Briefing Journalists on Wednesday, COMPTROLLER MOHAMMED UBA, explained that the detained/seized items include: 15 Exotic vehicles including 3 Toyota C-HR (2018 models), 1 Toyota Camry LE (2018), 1 Toyota Prado (2018), 1 Toyota Hilux (2017), 1 Ford F150 (2017), 1 Pajero Jeep (2017), 1 Mercedes Benz (2017) among others.
Other seizures include9,049 bags of foreign parboiled rice (15trailers), 1,464 cartons of frozen poultry products, 870 jerrycans of vegetable oil, 273 bales of used clothing, 592 pieces of used tyres, among others. Also, four containers with no: PCIU850134/9, PCIU8278544, FCIU983753 and TGHU6924330have been seized for false declaration. While two of the containers were carrying 8,633 pieces of empty cylinders as against plumbing materials declared in their SGD, the other two carried 120 bales of new jeans as against punching machine declared in the SGD. A total of 12 suspects were arrested in connection to these 112 seizures.
He said: “In order to ensure full implementation of the Government policy banning the importation of rice through land borders and following headquarters directive on same, we re-strategized our operational modalities and beam our searchlight at the Creek, Water side, and at various locations in southwest zoneand hence the reason for the massive rice seizure within the period under review.We will continue to make sure smugglers within our areas of jurisdiction count their losses until they repent from sabotaging our economy.
“As you already know, smuggling is a global phenomenon that cannot be eradicated entirely but if all hands are on deck it will be reduced to its barest minimum.
“Let me commend our officers who have put their lives on the line making these seizures, most especially the 15 trailers load of rice knowing fully well it’s a big battle at the creek and bush parts. Their resilience and doggedness is highly commendable.
