The Federal Operations Unit Zone A, Nigeria Customs Service said that it apprehended 42 suspects in connection with seizure recorded between January and April 2016.
The enforcement arm of customs also stated that goods worth N527,830,350.00 were intercepted within the last four months.
The units Public Relations Officer, Mr. Uche Ejesieme in a statement made available to Shipping Position Daily, yesterday said that the period under reference witnessed 481 different seizures of prohibited items valued at N527,830,350.00.
The Unit during the corresponding period of 2015, according to the statement, recorded 628 seizures with a Duty Paid Value of N428,664,404.00 , even as it added that the number of seizures for 2015 appeared higher, than 2016.
Giving a breakdown of the seizure, he quoted the Controller, Federal Operations Unit Zone ‘A’, Comptroller Umar Mohammed Dahiru as saying that 141 different Seizures of rice, totalling 8,148 bags of 50kg parboiled rice and 50 bags of 25kg with Duty Paid Value of N53,124,500.00 were intercepted.
According to the controller, 112 different seizures of imported frozen poultry products, including 20,742 cartons with Duty Paid Value of N112,006,800.00, and 50 different seizures of vegetable oil, totalling 2,519 kegs of 25 litres, and 24 kegs of 10 liters,140 cartons of kings oil, 120 pieces of 1,250 empty kegs with Duty Paid Value of N18,788,400.00 were made.
According to the statement, 32 Units of Vehicles, and 12 cut buses with Duty Paid Value of N87,210,000.00.
The document further revealed that 148 general merchandise comprising new & used textile materials, new & used foot wears, mosquito insecticide, spaghetti noodles, various soap & detergent, used tyres, narcotics, compressors, hard drugs, Indian hemp etc with Duty Paid Value of N397,263,240.00 were also intercepted.
Furthermore, the Controller noted that the items were seized in line with sections 46 & 47 of the CEMA.
Speaking on operational challenges faced by the unit, he noted that “smugglers are becoming more daring by the day and in most cases displaying uncommon courage and tenacity in challenging our operatives”.
“This hostile approach is actually quite expected because of the growing desperation among smuggling kingpins to thwart the efforts of our operatives, using all available means, both conventional and unconventional methods. ”
“Smuggling, just like scavenging is a global menace and countries all over the world are constantly strategizing on how to suppress it in their domain, using various methods. ”
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