The Federal Operations Unit Zone (FOU) ‘A’ of the Nigerian Customs Service ( NCS), Ikeja, has raised standard of its anti-smuggling operations with the interception of various contraband ranging from imported frozen poultry products, foreign parboiled rice, vehicles, vegetable oil, and other general merchandise today.
The Controller of the command, Comptroller Mohammed Uba announced some of the giant strides his command made.
According to Comptroller Uba, “Having reinvigorated our anti-smuggling operations between May 16 to June 12, 2018, we have intercepted various contraband, goods and vehicles on detention 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).”
Similarly, the unit through its interventions recovered fifty nine million, 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.
Uba stated 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 spectacular seizures include 9,049 bags of foreign parboiled rice, 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 TGHU6924330 have 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.
“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 zone and 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.”
Comptroller Uba, further commended his officers who he believes put their lives on the line making these seizures. He highly recommended their resilience and doggedness.
“This feat couldn’t have been possible without the logistics support of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd) and the entire management, as well as you the media for your partnership in sensitizing and educating the general public on the evil of smuggling to the nations economy. Let me also use this opportunity to wish our Muslim faithful happy Sallah celebration in adavance,” he said.
