"These Items Would Have Put Nigerian Smokers in Jeopardy "…. Comptroller Egbudin
The Apapa Area One Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has intercepted four containers laden with imported cigarettes from China, but declared by the importer as millets, without date of manufacture and expiry on the packs.
The Customs Area Controller of the command; Comptroller Willy Egbudin stated this yesterday during a chat with journalists in Lagos, even as he lamented that such items would have caused havoc in the lives of smokers, supposing the items beat the customs checks.
Comptroller Egbudin disclosed that the seized items were laden in two 20 –foot containers and two 40-foot containers respectively, saying that the containers were falsely declared as millets from China and on examination, officers confirmed that the items were not millets, but cigarettes.
Cigarette is not a prohibited item, it attracts 10% levy and 60% duty, but the consignments were intercepted by the customs due to false declaration on the part of the shipper.
The former Controller of Seme and Lillypond commands noted that the items have Duty Paid Value of N304,300,800.
According to him, the manifest was seen to be reading cigarette, why the declaration by the agent was on millet, which however arose the curiosity of the customs.
Narrating further how the containers were intercepted, Egbudin explained that, "based on the information, I ordered the DC on special duties to place an alert on it and wrote to the DC APMT to draw the attention of the CAC during physical examination"
"When the agent sensed that the customs has placed an alert on the consignments, he went to the Comet shipping company to transit another e-manifest".
He noted that in the declaration, the consignees name on the old manifest revealed cigarette with Oriental International Transport Limited as agent while the second manifest had Pull Over Nigeria Limited whose declaration has millet.
The Comptroller said that apart from the false declaration, the most interesting feature of the items is that they have no date of manufacture and expiration on them, adding that the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) were unaware of the consignments.
He stated that supposing the items beat the customs, it would put the life of Nigerian smokers in jeopardy.
He also warned that the service would no longer tolerate any issue of false declaration because the relevant section of Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA) would be invoked on anyone found wanting.
He said the command had constituted a panel to investigate the seized containers, urging importers to declare their consignments genuinely, and adding that any items that are under declared or falsely declared will be siezed.
The Comptroller also said that the importer does not enjoy the fast track privilege.
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