Customs To Suppress Smuggling, Warns Against Importation Of Contraband

The Federal Operations Unit, Zone C, Owerri, of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), has vowed to suppress smuggling to it minimal level in the South Eastern part of the country.

Speaking on Monday when stakeholders from Tinaper Free Trade Zone paid him a courtesy visit in Owerri, the Customs Area Controller (CAC) of the unit, Bishir Balogun, who said no hiding place for smugglers in the unit, warned against the importation of prohibited items into the country.

According to the Customs boss, he is ready to carry out his mandate of suppressing smuggling to its minimal level as well as blockade revenue leakages and generating revenue.

He, however, vowed that his unit would make life unbearable for unrepentant smugglers, stressing that any attempt to violate the provisions of the Nigeria Customs Act, 2023 would be met with total resistance.

While commending the stakeholders for their efforts in generating revenue for the service and Nigeria at large, he reinstated that smugglers will have no hiding place.

“It is an economic sabotage for anyone to bring in prohibited goods into the country, especially those that are produced locally; such act runs counter to the government’s policy of revitalizing local firms and provision of employment opportunities to the youths.

“Importers, as well as exporters, must endeavour to be conversant with items on the prohibition list as well as those allowed for importation into the country. This will be one way of not falling on the wrong side of the import guidelines,” he warned

Compt. Balogun also reiterated that with the security situation around the globe, there were concerted efforts to nip the smuggling of small arms and light weapons in the bud.

According to him, the service is not unaware of the incidence of illegal importation of drugs, including tramadol and cannabis sativa, among others, which is injurious to the lives of the youths.

He further noted that his Unit has designed intelligence-driven strategies to nab those who engage in smuggling across his operational jurisdiction.

“The Unit will build on the legacies of the Comptroller General, Adewale Adeniyi, by sustaining the three major mandates of the service as regards plugging revenue leakages, enforcement and facilitation of legitimate trade into the country.”

Compt. Balogun further charged his workforce to increase the tempo of their operations, saying there would be no room for indiscipline.

“You need to redouble your effort to meet the expectations of the Comptroller General, who has provided the needed logistics for the Unit to work and excel. Also, operational strategies will be constantly reworked in a bid to take steps ahead of economic saboteurs towards defeating the game of concealment, false declaration, underpayment of duty and importation of illicit drugs. As we battle with smugglers, our eagle eyes will not be letting go of duty evasion, too,” he added.

He said his Unit will make life unbearable for unrepentant smugglers, stressing that ‘any attempt to violate the provisions of the Nigeria Customs Act 2023, which is an enabling legislation will be met with total resistance on the part of smugglers and duty evaders’.

He noted that the Unit’s 24-hour round-the-clock patrols have been rejigged for efficiency while enlisting the cooperation of stakeholders towards protecting the nation’s economy through legitimate trade.