The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Strike Force Zone B, says it has seized contraband with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N786.91 million in the past three months.
Mr Oseni Olorukooba, the Coordinator, Comptroller-General of Customs Strike Force Zone B, stated this while displaying the seized items on Friday in Kano.
Olorukooba said that the Strike Forced seized assorted contraband and other smuggled goods in Kano and Jigawa between January and March 2021.
He said the seizures were made through intelligence gathering at different times and locations in its areas of operation under the Anti-Smuggling Activities.
He listed the items to include two Mercedes Benz cars with a DPV of N83.57 million, noting that the vehicles were seized on Kano-Hadejia road with Diplomatic Corps registration number plates.
The seized goods also included 1,540 bags of rice; 4,857 cartons of tomato paste, 410 cartons of macaroni and 294 bales of used clothes.
Other items were 307 cartons of shoes; 1,527 cartons of soap, six cars, three trucks, 458 cartons of pasta, 50 bags of sugar, 249 cartons of condensed milk and 8,575 litres of vegetable oil among others.
“Some of the goods were conveyed in vehicles concealed in sacks to perpetrate the dastardly acts.
“The Strike Force has intercepted various items within the long stretched borders of the Northern states.
“We are active even in the Northeast in spite of the insecurity and military activities.
“We shall continue to sharpen our intelligence and enforcement to fight smuggling to ensure success in the battle against economic saboteurs,” he said.
According to him, the Strike Force Zone B comprises Adamawa, Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Gombe, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Nasarawa, Niger, Plateau, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe and Zamfara.
While commending the personnel for their dedication to duty, Olorukooba warned smugglers to shun the acts and engage in legitimate businesses.
