The Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Colonel Hameed Ali (rtd), has directed the CGC Strike Force to invade warehouses and markets across the South-West for smuggled foreign rice and contrabands smuggled into the country.
Speaking, on Wednesday, against the backdrop of the seizure of 1,930 bags of 50kg smuggled rice which were evacuated from various warehouses in Lagos and Ogun State, the co-ordinator, CGC’s Strike Force, Zone A, Lagos, Deputy Compt. Ahmadu Bello Shuaibu said the directive was to boost the local production of rice in the country.
Shuaibu who lamented the high rate of cargoes that are falsely declared as machinery in other to evade Customs duty and levy said the unit generated N708millon in the last two weeks.
According to him, 1,227 rolls of chiffon textiles materials, 18 pallets of perfumes, cosmetics and bags, 2,064 cartons of electric bulbs as well as 1,810 cartons of alcoholic and non-alcoholic wines were all seized and will be forfeited to the Federal Government.He said: “1,930 bags of 50kg of foreign parboiled rice were seized in two weeks. This is to ensure that the country is rid of smuggled foreign parboiled rice as we have instructions of the Comptroller General of Customs, Col Hameed Ali (rtd) that markets and warehouses of smugglers should be raided and smuggled rice evacuated. (Tribune)