The Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone “A”, the anti-smuggling unit of the Nigerian Customs Service, NCS, raked in over N229 million between June 13 and July 10, 2017.
Controller of the zone, Mohammed Garba, said in a media briefing in Lagos that, it impounded various contraband goods with Duty Paid Value, DPV, worth N200,995,641.8 within the period. He also said the Unit, through its intervention, recovered N28,954,448 from duty payments and demand notices on general goods at seaports, airports and border stations, bringing the total amount the Zone raised to N229, 950, 089.8 within the period.
Garba disclosed that 15 suspects have been arrested in connection with the seizures, noting that 40 different seizures were recorded comprising vegetable oil, foreign parboiled rice, frozen poultry products, smuggled vehicles, medicaments, used tyres and various general merchandise.
He said, “The fight against smuggling can only be won if all hands are on deck. The commitment, doggedness, resilience and diligence of officers and men of the Unit for foiling the antics of smugglers who used different methods for concealment, cannot be over emphasized.
“Following series of infractions on some of the containers intercepted based on information; we have seized seven containers that contravened Customs law by means of false declaration and breach of import prohibition list by trade. While three of the containers carried 5,014 pieces of used tyres, used fridges, used double electric burner, the other containers carried 499 cartons of Eva soap as against poultry incubator declared in the SGD.” (Vanguard)
