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The head of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Ikeja Zone ‘A’, Comptroller Mohammed Uba has opened up on the gains of the reformed anti-smuggling team of the Command.

Addressing the press on Tuesday after a tour of seizures, the Comptroller said “After intensifying our operational modalities to meet up with the current smuggling tactics we have intercepted various contraband with a duty paid value (DPV) of N1,618,177,661.50 from 1st – 31st January 2018”.

“The seized items include: 31 assorted vehicles, 8,400 bags of foreign parboiled rice (that’s about 14 trailers) 1,652 cartons of frozen poultry products, 835 jerry cans of vegetable oil, 10 sacks bag of Indian Hemp, 2,208 pieces of used tyres, 159bales of used clothing among others. Just as I told you last year, it’s our obligation to support the Federal Government policy on Rice, encourage local rice farmers, the millers and patronize our own nutritional rice which by implication will create employment opportunities for our youth.

Uba noted that “Among the detained vehicles include 4 Rolls Royce, 1 Porche  Panamera, 1 Jaguar, 1 Bentley, 2 Lexus Jeep , 2 G wagon, 1 Toyota Land Cruiser, 5 Toyota Corolla, 7 Mercedes Benz among others mostly 2017 models. These 31 assorted Vehicles alone have a duty paid value of N1,429,953,941.50.  While some of the vehicles were intercepted along Ijebu Ode Expressway, others were evacuated at various raids in Parkview estate, VI, Banana Island, Alhaji Bankole Crescent Ikeja and Tola Adewunmi Street Maryland.

However, the Controller urged owners of the vehicles to come forward with valid Customs clearance documents, saying “Otherwise they will be liable to seizure and subsequent forfeiture to the Federal Government in-line with laws of the land”.

“For the avoidance of doubt, our action is in-line with the provisions of Sections 147 of Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA) Cap 45, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 (power to search premises), Section 158 of CEMA, Cap 45 Laws of Federation of Nigeria (power to patrol freely).

“Also, two containers were seized. While 1/20ft container no: GATU132358/4 was seized for carrying 537 cartons of Indian Whisky as against yeast declared in SGD, 1/40ftContainer no TCLU172184/3 was seized for carrying 60 pieces of used Chest freezers and 570 bundles of gas hose as against condenser for steam polysomic. This is clear case of false declaration which is tantamount to seizure.

Uba averred that “Within the period under review, we have also recovered N91,366,436.00,  making a cumulative of N1,709,544,098.00. In the spirit of inter-agency collaboration; the seized Indian hemp will be handed over to NDLEA after this press briefing for further investigation. Ten (10) suspects have been arrested in connection with these 163 seizures

The Comptroller used the occasion to warn all smugglers and would be smugglers to desist from any act of illegal trade and invest their money in a legitimate business that will yield dividend on their investments.

He made it clear that “There is no amount of resistance from the smugglers and their mob accomplices that will deter us from performing our statutory responsibilities in all aspect especially in suppression of smuggling within southwest zone”.

SEIZURE PROFILE

FROM MONDAY 1^STWEDNESDAY 31^st JANUARY, 2018

NOTE

DPV                                                                N 1,618,177,661.50        

REVENUE RECOVERED                       N91,366,436.00                                                         

TOTAL SEIZURE                                          163                                       

MEANS OF CONVYANCE                                    42

SUSPECTS                                                     10