Still basking in the euphoria of the mass arrests of clearing agents at Tin Can Island Port on Wednesday, the port’s Customs Area Controller , Mr Tunji Aremu has declared that the era of fraudulent clearance of cargo without genuine importation document is over. The practice is known as Machine Outside or ‘MO’.
The comptroller, at a media chat on Wednesday shortly before a combined team of Police and Customs officers arrested more than 100 persons who are mainly clearing agents, said the command is no longer a safe haven for fraudsters.
Still basking in the euphoria of the mass arrests of clearing agents at Tin Can Island Port on Wednesday, the port’s Customs Area Controller , Mr Tunji Aremu has declared that the era of fraudulent clearance of cargo without genuine importation document is over. The practice is known as Machine Outside or ‘MO’.
The comptroller, at a media chat on Wednesday shortly before a combined team of Police and Customs officers arrested more than 100 persons who are mainly clearing agents, said the command is no longer a safe haven for fraudsters.
The Comptroller said ‘MO’ a code-name for clearance of cargo by the use of fraudulently procured documents was gone
"There is no room for MO in this command. The era of when anybody can do anything is gone. Everything is done in the right manner and all my officers are ready to fish out any system which is wrong. Tin Can Port is a different port and it is manifesting in our revenue collection," he stated.
He however disclosed that the command collected N206.4 billion in 2012, up from N193.4 billion it recorded in 2011.
Area Controller, Mr Tunji Aremu, also disclosed that the monthly target of the command in 2012 is N22 billion.
The controller said that 115 containers and 18 unpacked vehicles were seized.
He said that 22 of the containers were teak woods for export, saying that the commodity contravened the export prohibition order.
Aremu explained that the remaining seized containers consisted of under-declared vehicles, used tyres, new fridges, washing machines, kitchen cabinets, boxes of recorded Video and Audio CDs.
He said that other items intercepted, included electric ovens, furniture, soaps, pop corn machine, computer bags, second hand clothes, new and old electronics as well as new ladies’ shoes and bags.
He said that the Duty Paid Value (DPV) of the seizures was N347.4 million.
The controller added that between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2012, a total of 21,015 tonnes of exports with Free On Board (FOB) value of N12.1 billion passed through the Tin-Can Port in 2012.
He added that 169,536 tonnes of exports valued at N101.1billion passed through the port in 2011.
"Our revenue target for 2013 will higher than that of 2012. But we are going to surpass it as all hands must be on deck to achieve it. We have to be more focused by ensuring that all SGDs are well scrutinised and thorough examination”, he said.
Aremu promised an improvement in revenue collection and sustained anti-smuggling operations.
He added that the command had enforced the non-negotiable stance of the Comptroller- General of Customs, Dr Abdullahi Dikko, on quality service delivery.
Discussion about this post