Operatives of the Federal Operations Unit’s (FOU) anti-smuggling operations of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Zone A, Ikeja has made a record total of 128 seizures from August 29th to 3rd October 2017 with Duty paid value (DPV) running into N356.2m.
Addressing the media during a tour of the Customs Ikeja warehouse on Wednesday, the Comptroller, Mohammed Uba revealed that the haul stemmed from intensified operational modalities which resulted in meeting up with the current smuggling tactics.
The seized items included 11 used vehicles, 4,227 bags of foreign parboiled rice, frozen poultry products, vegetable oil, Indian Hemp, medicaments, used tyres, scrap metals, wet blue, electric cables, unprocessed wood, bales of used clothing and shoes.
Giving a particular reference, Uba said “Just last week Friday 29th September 2017, based on information, we trailed and evacuated 3000 bags of smuggled rice from 10 houses along waterside in Ere Village of Ado-Odo Local Government of Ogun State”.
“Each of these houses has three exits doors for their nefarious activities. As we were evacuating the rice from one house to the other, the villagers were also busy packing the rice to the bush through other exit. That is to tell you the extent some people take risk while indulging in smuggling. They see smuggling as a way of life and an inherited business. We were able to achieve this with the support of the military from 9 Brigade Nigerian Army Ikeja.
“The Eleven (11) seized vehicles are: two Lexus Jeep GX460 and RX330, one Toyota Rav4, two Toyota Camry, 5 Mercedes Benz and one IVECO Truck (Tanker), ranging from 2007 to 2013 models respectively. These 11 assorted Vehicles alone have a duty paid value of N125,403,598.5 only
Continuing, he revealed that “We have 17 assorted vehicles in detention of various models. The vehicles were evacuated from car marts due to infractions noticed in their documents. As I speak with you, they have not been able to provide relevant customs papers on some yet but we have given them enough room to provide them. The vehicles under detention have a duty paid value of 141,877,496.15 only”.
“A total of Fourteen containers were also seized for false declaration and breech of customs law with a duty paid value (DPV) of One Hundred and Four Million, Six Hundred and Eighty Four Thousand, Twenty Three Naira, Two Kobo (N104,684,023.2) only. While Seven Containers carried unprocessed wood, One container was carrying scrap metals and another one carrying wet blue for exports which all fall under export prohibition list. Also three of the seized Containers were medicaments without appropriate import documents and certification. Two Containers were carrying Made in Nigeria cables but imported from China, which was declared as electric distribution board and ballast. Only God knows what would have happened if these products got into our market.
Uba noted that the inter-agency collaboration currently blossoming amongst MDAs is very effective between Customs and related agencies as the seized Indian hemp, the Medicaments and the cables will be handed over to NDLEA, NAFDAC, and SON for thorough investigation.
Additional statistics given during the display of the impounded items showed that about eight suspects have been arrested in connection with these 128 seizures.
Giving further insights, Uba averred that “For record purpose, so far we have 12 trials at Supreme Court, court of Appeal and Federal High Court respectively. While three are Criminal cases, nine are civil cases and one is convicted and sentenced to seven (7) years imprisonment”.
Uba however, thanked the Comptroller General of Customs Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd) and the entire Management Team of the Service for providing necessary enticements and logistics that assisted in the progress. He also warned importers to desist from smuggling and engage in genuine businesses that will not harm the fragile economy of Nigeria.
SEIZURESOF COMMODITY BY COMMODITY
FROM TUESDAY 29TH AUGUST 2017 TO TUESDAY 3RD OCTOBER2017
| S/N | DETAILS OF ENTRY | QUANTITY | NO. OF SEIZURES | DPV |
| 1. | Used Vehicles | 11 units | 9 | N 125,403,598.5 |
| 2. | Bags of foreign parboiled rice of 50kg each | 4,227 bags | 63 | N 52,136,029.35 |
| 3. | Indian Hemp | 84 parcels | 2 | N 4,032,000 |
| 4. | Bales of second hand clothing | 249 bales | 18 | N 4,482,000 |
| 5. | Frozen poultry products | 980 cartons | 10 | N 5,880,000 |
| 6. | Used tyres | 907 pieces | 8 | N 5,043,600 |
| 7. | Used shoes | 268 pairs | 1 | N 160,000 |
| 8. | Vegetable oil | 198 Jerri Cans | 5 | N 2,138,400 |
| 9. | 2X20ft containers No. carrying Electric cables DFSU212078-1 and CSLU198081-2 | 2 | 1 | N 18,528,000 |
| 10. | 1x20ft container No. MSKU9830638 carrying scrap metals | 1 | 1 | N 10,000,000 |
| 11. | 1x20ft container No. PCIU1601536 carrying wet blue leather | 1 | 1 | N 61,863,750.00 |
| 12. | 7X20ft containers No. carrying wood CRSU106056/7 ZIMU292817/9
GESU124194/3 ZIMU279346/9 MSCU012896/0 GATU118861/1 CMAU117872/2 |
7 | 7 | N 35,000,000 |
| 13. | (3) 1x40ft No. MSKU8751322 and 2xs20ft containers No. MSKU414709/0, MRKU7382866 carrying medicaments | 3 | 3 | N 31,537,273.2 |
| 13.
. |
Total | ` | 128 | N 356,205,050.78 |
NOTE
DPV N 356,205,050.78
TOTAL SEIZURE 128
MEANS OF CONVEYANCE 23
SUSPECTS 8
