The Nigeria Customs Service said it has intercepted imported poultry products worth N12 million within the Nigeria – Benin Republic frontiers.
The latest seizures came barely two weeks after the service introduced a renewed onslaught which it codenamed “Hawk Descend” and targeted at smuggling of poultry products at the Seme border.
The seizures consist of 1,803 cartons of the banned products confiscated in the operations made possible by four commands under the South West zone of the service.
The Nigeria Customs Service said it has intercepted imported poultry products worth N12 million within the Nigeria – Benin Republic frontiers.
The latest seizures came barely two weeks after the service introduced a renewed onslaught which it codenamed “Hawk Descend” and targeted at smuggling of poultry products at the Seme border.
The seizures consist of 1,803 cartons of the banned products confiscated in the operations made possible by four commands under the South West zone of the service.
According to the Nigeria Customs Service spokesperson; Mr Wale Adeniyi, the commands which jointly facilitated the seizures include: Seme Command, Federal Operations Unit Zone A in Ikeja, Western Marine Command and the Oyo/ Osun command.
He said the Comptroller General of Customs Dikko Abdullahi Inde has also urged traders, sellers to shun buying of smuggled poultry products from warehouses, saying the operatives of the service will not spare those buying such illicit goods when apprehended.
As contained in a statement made available to Shipping Position Daily last week, most of the seizures were made when commercial vehicles conveying the products were apprehended by customs operatives.
According to the statement, assessing the first week of the operation, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Alhaji Dikko Abdullahi has acknowledged the support of border communities in effecting the seizures.
The Customs boss was also quoted as commending the communities for obliging Customs patrol officers and offering reliable information about the activities of poultry products smugglers and cold room operators.
He urged hotel and restaurant owners, fast food outlet operators and barbecue sellers to shun smuggled chicken, noting that the protection of the Nigerian poultry sector is the responsibility of all.
The statement further revealed that a large number of the seized poultry products were recorded on the Iyafin Badagry waterways on the Lagoon that stretches through the Nigeria – Benin borders respectively.
The breakdown of the seizures showed that the Federal Operations Unit seised 975 cartons, Seme Command 461 cartons, Oyo/Osun Command recorded 247 cartons and the Western marine Command with 110 cartons.
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