Controller Federal Operations Unit, Zone A, Ikeja, Lagos
Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).
As the yuletide draws closer, the Federal Operations Unit, Zone A, Lagos of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intensified its operational modalities to meet the current smuggling tactics with seizure of various contraband worth N1.5Billion within its jurisdiction.
This was disclosed today during a press briefing held in Ikeja, Lagos during a press by the Comptroller of the unit; Zone A, Ikeja, Lagos, Mohammed Uba.
Speaking on the seizures of contrabands which he put a duty paid value (DPV) of One Billion, Five Hundred and Ninety Five Million, One Hundred and Forty One Thousand, One Hundred and Forty Four Naira, Eighty One Kobo (N1,595,141,144.81) on, Uba said they included 64 assorted vehicles (mostly brand new), 13,333bags of foreign parboiled rice (that’s like 22 trailers), 1,390 cartons of frozen poultry products, N 8,340,000; 835 jerrycans of vegetable oil valued at N7,890,750 , 15 parcels of Indian Hemp, 1,101 pieces of used tyres, 205 bales of used clothing with DPV of N 7,380,000among others.
The Comptroller however used the occasion to reiterate the call on Nigerians to support the Federal Government policy on rice, with encouragement of local rice farmers, the millers and patronize our own nutritional rice.
He said among the detained vehicles include two Lexus Jeep (Bullet Proof), one Toyota Land Cruiser (Bullet Proof), 9 Toyota Hilux, eight Toyota Hiace Bus, 26 Toyota Corolla, nine Land Cruiser Jeep, Five Toyota Camry, one Land Rover, one Nissan Sentra, one Pajero Jeep; all 2017 models and one Sienna 2015 model and one Lexus RX 350 among others.
The 64 assorted vehicles, according to the comptroller, have a duty paid value of One Billion, Three Hundred and Two Million, Nine Hundred and Twenty Seven Thousand, One Hundred and Six Naira, Sixteen kobo (N1, 302,927,106.16) only.
He added that while 57vehicles were evacuated based on intelligence along Omole Estate, Ojodu and Olayiwole Close Lekki Phase one, the remaining seven were intercepted while on information patrol along Ijebu Ode expressway and Olorunda.
As at the time of the briefing, the Comptroller said, “nobody has come forward to claim ownership yet because we doubt if they have any customs papers on the vehicles, not to talk of the End-User Certificate for the bullet proof.”
He added that the legal unit has already been mandated to investigate the development, saying, “And as soon as we get any head way about the owners or their agents, we will let the public know.”
On other seizures, the Comptroller said a total of seventeen 20ft containers loaded with wood valued at N 85,000,000 are under detention on the suspicion that they have not met the required guidelines for export.
He also said a 20ft container was seized for carrying 385 cartons of Tiffany Crunch n’ Cream biscuit, 2,300 cartons of Tiffany chocolate and Toffee Sweet valued at N12,440,000, as against Engine Block declared in SGD. This, he described as clear case of false declaration which tantamount to seizure.
“Within the period under review, we have also recovered One Hundred and Eight Million, Three Hundred and Six Thousand, Eighteen Naira, Twenty Five Kobo (N108,306,018.25) making a cumulative of One Billion, Seven Hundred and Three Million, Four Hundred and Forty Seven Thousand, One Hundred and Sixty Three Naira, Six kobo (N1,703,447,163.06).” he said.
In the spirit of inter-agency collaboration the Comptroller promised to hand over the seized Indian hemp to National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) today for further investigation.
He said five suspects already in custody of the service, have been arrested in connection with these 185 seizures.
The Comptroller however use the opportunity to thank the Comptroller General of Customs Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd) and the entire Management Team of the Nigeria Customs Service for providing necessary logistics that brought about this feat called for more information, sensitization e and education of the general public on the effects of smuggling to the nation’s economy.
