Customs FOU Ikeja hits smugglers, impounds exotic cars, 9,049 bags of rice, others
“In less than one month, that is between 16th May to June 12, 2018, we have intercepted various contraband, goods and vehicles on detention with a duty paid value (DPV) of N1,345,572,313.”
This was the revelation of the Controller, Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone A, Ikeja, Compt. Mohammed Uba, while conducting the press on Wednesday at the Command’s warehouse.
Continuing, he said “Similarly, the unit through its interventions recovered N1,405,079,086, within the weeks under review”.
“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 include9,049 bags of foreign parboiled rice (15trailers), 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 TGHU6924330have 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.
While commending Customs officers who have put their lives on the line making these seizures, Uba averred that “The feats couldn’t have been possible without the logistics support of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd) and the entire management”.
SEIZURESOF COMMODITY BY COMMODITY
FROM WEDNESDAY 16TH MAY, 2018 TUESDAY12th JUNE, 2018
| S/N | DETAILS OF ENTRY | QUANTITY | NO. OF SEIZURES | DPV |
| 1. | Used detained/seized vehicles of different types | 15 units | 2 | N 383,222,943 |
| 2. | Detained means of conveyance | 29 | N 58,725,001 | |
| 3. | Bags of foreign parboiled rice of 50kg each | 9,049 | 77 | N 129,708,819 |
| 4. | Bales of second hand clothing | 271 | 11 | N 48,780,000 |
| 5. | Frozen poultry products | 1,464 | 8 | N 13,834,800 |
| 6. | Vegetable oil | 870 | 7 | N 8,568,450 |
| 7. | Used tyres | 592 | 3 | N 4,795,200 |
| 8. | 1x40ft container No. PCIU850134/9 carrying 4,079 pieces of empty cylinders
1x40ft container No. PCIU8278544 carrying 4,554 pieces of empty cylinders
2X40FT CONT. No. FCIU9893753 and TGHU6924330 carrying 120 bales of new jeans |
4,079
4,554
120 bales |
4 | N 21,581,100
N 28,356,000
N 648,000,000 |
| 9 . | Total | 112 | N 1,345,572,313 |
