Customs FOU Ikeja roars again in anti-smuggling feat, impounds exotic cars, others
…As CG orders evacuation of some seized items to IDP camps
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone A, Ikeja has deepened its anti-smuggling operations between April 10th to May 15 2018, and intercepted various contrabands and other goods on detention with a duty paid value (DPV) of N1,010,295,666.2 within the period under review.
Addressing top media executives in his office, the Comptroller, Mr. Muhammad Uba said “part of the seizures include 30 Exotic vehicles including 7 Toyota Hilux (2018 models), 3 Toyota Prado Jeep (2017) 1 Range Rover, 1 Ford Edge (2015), 5,516c bags of foreign parboiled rice (9trailers), 1,078 cartons of frozen poultry products, 216 jerrycans of vegetable oil, 173 bales of used clothing, 683 pieces of used tyres, 8sacks of Indian Hemp weighing 134 kg among others”.
“Also, two containers with no: MSKU130295/2 and MRKU877714/0 have beenseized for false declaration with a DPV of over 25 million naira alone. A total of 14 suspects were arrested in connection to these 125 seizures.
This is as he revealed that “after Court processes and Condemnation, the Presidential Committee on IDPS chaired by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd) has approved the evacuation of the following items to Borno State Government for distribution to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) through the Nigerian Army Corps of Supply and Transport (NASCT): 25,318 bags of Rice 50gk (42Traillers), 3,366 jerrycans of 25 liters, 175 gallons of vegetable oil (5litres), 1,564 bales and 122 sacks of second hand clothing, 196 sacks and 938 pairs of used shoes”.
Continuing, Uba commended officers and men of the Unit for living up to their statutory responsibilities in suppression of smuggling, blocking all revenue leakages and enhancing trade facilitation towards sustaining best international standards.
While stressing that his command has remained unflinching with our mandates and no amount of distraction will deter us from performing our statutory duties, he assured that “We will continue to make this zone uncomfortable for smugglers to operate and urge every Nigerian to be patriotic and report any smuggling activities in their areas to the Service and any intelligence provided will be treated in confidence”.
The Comptroller used the interactive session with journalists to advise economic saboteurs as well as fraudulent importers to invest their resources towards legitimate trade and desist from engaging in smuggling activities, as the Service and indeed the Unit will not renege on our statutory functions most especially in suppressing smuggling.
