The Nigerian Customs Service has confirmed the seizure of contrabands worth N872,575,250 while also warning against ingenious concealment.
This was made known on Thursday in a statement issued on the X handle of Customs where the Acting Comptroller of the Federal Operations Unit, Zone ‘A’, Hussein Ejibubu, issued the warning.
Ejibubu has seriously kicked against the use of ingenious concealment methods to transport smuggled goods to Nigeria, adding that his Unit will continuously work hard to improve detection methods with the aid of intelligence.
Addressing newsmen in Lagos on Tuesday, December 5, Ejibunu explained that “smuggling is illegal and a crime that has negative social, economic and security implications on Nigeria and even every other country.
While showcasing seizures in November, he disclosed that the strategic deployment of officers 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.
“The concealment of foreign bags of rice stacked inside the engines of vehicles not only contravenes the law but is also harmful to human consumption,” he stressed.
Other seized items within the period under review, according to the statement from Customs include 5,459 bags of 50kg foreign rice (equivalent to 9 trailer loads), 18,100 litres of premium motor spirit and 376 bales of used clothes.
Others are 1,926 cartons of frozen poultry products, 337 pieces of used compressors, 3 X 40 ft containers containing 3,838 pieces of used tyres, 13 used vehicles (Tokunbo), and 396 cartons of frozen fish, all worth N872,575,250.
The Ag. Comptroller disclosed that 11 suspects were arrested during the anti-smuggling operations without hassles.
Ejibunu said that as such, calls for the collaborative efforts of all citizens to support the Service by providing valuable and timely information that would aid the anti-smuggling drive.
He further underscored the importance of collective responsibility in ensuring the security of borders and preventing illicit trade practices.
On revenue generation, the Ag. Comptroller disclosed that the Command generated the sum of N71,254,984.71 through conscious and thorough documentary checks.
He said this was followed by the issuance of demand notices on consignments that were found to have paid lesser amounts than the appropriate Customs duty. (Guardian)