The Comptroller General’s Taskforce of Nigeria Customs Services, Zone B, Kano, has seized contraband with Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N24,385 million in Kano State.
Deputy Comptroller General of Customs and head of the taskforce, Mr Oseni Olorukoba, made the disclosure on Tuesday in Kano.
Olurokoba listed the seized goods to include 208 bags of 50kg rice, 285 bales of clothes, 94 cartons of pasta, 53 keg of vegetable oil and cartons of counterfeit drugs among others
Olurokoba explained that two suspected smugglers were arrested by the team through intelligence sharing and collaboration with other security agencies.
He said that the goods were seized during various operations at different locations in the state within the period under review.
He said the drugs would be handed over to the National Agency of Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) for further analysis, adding that the suspects were released on bail.
“The suspects will be charge to court after investigations are concluded.
“The service is ready, we have equipment and highly motivated officers to check smuggling which is injurious to the national economy.
“I warn smugglers to desist from the act, embrace legitimate trade or change to another location, we are not going to give them freedom of movement in the region,” he said.
According to him, similar operations were ongoing in the 19 northern states under the Zone B, to check smuggling and other nefarious activities by smugglers.
Olurokoba said the taskforce had seized large quantity of contraband in Maiduguri, Sokoto, Kebbi, Katsina and Geidam in Yobe State.
While commending Controller General of Custom, Hameed Alli, for his support, Olorukoba reiterated the commitment of the service to end smuggling in the country.
