Customs Seizes N126.2m Illicit Items In Kebbi

Kebbi State Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intercepted Illicit Items worth N126.2 million in the state.

This was disclosed by the controller of the command, Iheanacho Ernest Ojike, at a maiden press briefing held at the weekend at the command’s headquarters in Birnin Kebbi, the state capital.

The items included; 212 bags of foreign parboiled rice of 50kg each and 28 bags of 25kg each, 200 bales of secondhand clothing (jumbo size) and 50 bales of normal size,1 0,025 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), 39 lumps of Indian hemp (cannabis sativa), 78 rolls of diclofenac sodium, 300 wraps of Diazepam tablets 5mg each, 57 packs of sex enhancement drug (Black Diamond).

Others are 150 expired powder milk, 50 pieces of used tyres and 20 pieces of rims, 20 cartons of foreign spaghetti, 20 bags of foreign sugar and 10 jerrycans of vegetable oil which were valued at (N126.278 million.

The PMS value is not included in the duty paid value (DPV) because it is given in the revenue generation section as receipts from auction sales.

According to him, this remarkable achievement was a result of the resilience and courageous effort of our Operations teams, Intelligence Unit, Joint Border Patrol Team (JBPT) and collaboration with sister agencies.

He said The Indian hemp will be handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), while Diazepam tablets will be given to NAFDAC as the appropriate agencies to attend to the respective substance for immediate prosecution of the suspects.

Ojike however noted that Sections 233 and 234 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023 has empowered customs officers to confiscate uncustomed goods smuggled into Nigeria and also, section 245 gives the power to detain, seize and prosecute such goods.