By Steve Agbota
The Federal Operations Unit Zone A of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) said it intercepted 45,928 bags of foreign parboiled rice of 50kg, equivalent to 77 trailer loads, 265,830 litres of Premium Motor Spirit and other contraband.
Speaking at a press briefing in Lagos yesterday, on the activities for half year, the Customs Area Controller (CAC), FOU Zone A, Deputy Comptroller, Hussein Ejibunu, said that among other seized items are 2,933 bales of used clothes, 233 cartons of Tramadol (225mg each) and 83 packs of 225mg, 65 units of used vehicles, 14,784 pieces of used tyres, 119 units of used motorcycles and 3,659.05 kg of Indian hemp respectively.
He added that goods seized within the first six months of the year are worth a cumulative duty paid value of N7, 116 billion, adding that these seizures were made for contravention of different Customs offences.
According to him, a total of 103 suspects were arrested in connection with some of the seized goods. He hinted that the sum of N577, 853 million was collected as revenue derived from underpayments.
“The achievements I am about to inundate you with are the results of our officers’ meticulous documentary checks in ensuring that identified revenue leakages are plugged. “Successes recorded in the anti-smuggling drives are products of sustained vigilance and intelligence deployment within the ports and border corridors.