By Isaac Anumihe

 

Following the intensified anti-smuggling operations mounted by the  Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) recently, the Federal Operations Unit, Zone A of the service, yesterday intercepted  various contraband items with a total duty paid value of N356,205,050.78.

The seized items include, 11 used vehicles,  4,227 bags of foreign parboiled rice, frozen poultry products, vegetable oil, Indian hemp, medicaments; used tyres, scrap metals, wet blue electric cables, unprocessed wood, bales of used clothing and shoes.

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Addressing newsmen, yesterday in Lagos, the Comptroller, Federal Operations Unit, Zone A, Mohammed Uba also said that  the 11  seized vehicles whose duty paid value is N125,403,598.5 include two Lexus Jeep GX460 and RX330,one Toyota Rav 4, two Toyota Camry, 5 Mercedes Benz and one IVECO Truck (Tanker), ranging from 2007 to 2013 models respectively.

“Also, we have 17 assorted vehicles in detention of various models. The vehicles were evacuated from car marts due to infractions noticed in their documents. As I speak, they have not been able to provide relevant customs papers on some yet but we have given them enough room to provide them. The vehicles under detention have a duty paid value of N141,877,496.15” he said. Similarly, he said,  a total of 14 containers were seized for false declaration and breach of customs law with a duty paid value of  N104684,023.2.

“While seven containers carried unprocessed wood, one container was carrying scrap metals and another one carrying wet blue for exports which all fall under export prohibition list.

Also, three of the seized containers were medicaments without appropriate import documents and certification. Two containers were carrying made-in-Nigeria cables but imported from China, which was declared as electric distribution board and ballast.