The Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone ‘C’ Owerri of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has arrested six suspects for alleged importation of some contraband into the country, even as it added that 13 cases arising from illegal importation of some items are now pending in various High Courts located in Calabar, Owerri, Benin and Enugu.
The Customs Area Controller of the FOU Zone ‘C’; Mr Victor David Dimka disclosed this last week in Owerri, Imo state, while briefing newsmen on seizures that were made in May this year.
The Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone ‘C’ Owerri of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has arrested six suspects for alleged importation of some contraband into the country, even as it added that 13 cases arising from illegal importation of some items are now pending in various High Courts located in Calabar, Owerri, Benin and Enugu.
The Customs Area Controller of the FOU Zone ‘C’; Mr Victor David Dimka disclosed this last week in Owerri, Imo state, while briefing newsmen on seizures that were made in May this year.
The Controller disclosed that 34 seizures with Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N88, 932,485.00 were recorded.
According to him, out of the seizures made, 17 were vehicles with a DPV of about N24.39Million. He said that the vehicles were confiscated mainly within the Benin axis, in Edo State, as well as in Agbor and Asaba in Delta State.
Dimka however advised any interested buyer of vehicles to endeavour to contact the closest Customs formation for verification and clearance of the vehicles before making their payment, to avoid possible embarrassment and prosecution if proven that Customs duty was not paid on such vehicles.
The Area Controller disclosed that the other items impounded on the Benin, Calabar, Owerri, Port-Harcourt/Eleme axis as well as along Agbor expressway in Delta state include; a container load of 294 bales of textile materials with DPV of N18,874,800.00) and three trailers loaded with 1, 357imported rice with DPV of N32. 415Million.Others are 48 pieces of imported furniture valued at N5, 135,250.00
Dimka decried the ceaseless spate of smuggling in the country despite efforts by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to reduce the nefarious activity and warned those still engrossed in the act to desist forthwith or be prepared to face the full consequences of their unpatriotic activities if arrested.
The Controller who bemoaned the harm being inflicted on the nation’s economy by smugglers and their sponsors however pleaded with members of the public to always assist the Customs with useful, reliable and dependable information so as to ease the operations of the unit.
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