Customs Seizes Items Worth Over N1bn In 3 Months

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone ‘B’ Kaduna has intercepted and seized various items including means of conveyance worth over one billion naira Duty Paid Value (DPV) between the month of May – July 2023.

A statement issued by the FOU public relations officer Superintendent of Customs Isah Sulaiman onbehalf of the Comptroller, Musa Ibrahim Jalo said, that between the Month of May and July this year, the Unit recorded a total of 179 seizures with a total Duty Paid Value (DPV) of One Billion, Forty Four Million, Seven Hundred and Seventy Two Thousand, One Hundred and Fifty Naira, Eighty Kobo (N1,044,772,159.80K).

He said, the assortments of items which were arrested in different locations within the Zone were mainly intelligence driven, due vigilance and diligence of Officers and Men of the Unit.

He noted in particular the seizure of illicit substances like Cannabis Sativa jointly arrested with Joint Border Patrol Team (JBPT) in Kebbi, vehicles, smuggled foreign parboiled rice and Second hand clothing, foreign soaps, vegetable oil and pastas, among others.

According to him, the Officers and Men has remained focused and are presently in sync with the current work agenda and orientation of the new administration ably led by the Ag. Comptroller -General of Customs, Bashir Wale Adeniyi.

A breakdown of the seizures for the period under review include, 21 units of used vehicles, 11 units of vehicles (Means of Conveyance), 2234 bags of foreign parboiled rice (50Kg each), 48 bags of foreign parboiled rice (25Kg each), 226 Jerrycans of foreign refined vegetable oil (25litres each), 2780 cartons of foreign spaghetti, macaroni and couscous.

Others are 278 bales of foreign second hand clothing, 15 sacks of foreign second hand shoes, 140 cartons of foreign tin tomato paste, foreign pomade, foreign milky creamer, foreign green tea, foreign mIlk, 149 cartons of foreign fruit juice, foreign soap, foreign matches, 140 Jerrycans of automotive gas oil (25litres each), 18. 1000 Jerrycans of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) (25litres each).

Also siezed are foreign used tyres, foreign eclairs sweets, foreign shisha (Tobacco), foreign expired cigarette, foreign vitamin D3 supplements, foreign charcoal briskets, foreign LPG cylinders (100Kg each), foreign tiger nut (100Kg each), foreign used belts and 81 parcels of cannabis sativa (Marijuana).

According to the statement, the Comptroller said, “l like to use this medium to appeal to the perpetrators to desist and engage in legitimate trade because this Unit has no plans to negotiate our extant laws.

“We will continue to confront all acts of smugglings and to crush every obstacle on the way with all lawful force, therefore l advise Nigerians to take advantage of the renewed hope agenda of the new administration and the commitment of our CGC Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, to raise the scale of trade facilitation through improved compliance and continuous partnership and engagement.

“In line with the standard operating procedure (SOP) guiding the operations of sister agencies, the Unit has handed over seized items outside its primary purview to relevant agencies.

“We have enjoyed their unwavering corporation and support and solicit for more collaboration, including your good selves, our revered gentlemen of the forth estate of the realm, for showcasing our activities even as we look forward for more of your objective reportage.” the Comptroller stated.