From: Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
The Ogun State command of the Nigeria Customs Service, on Tuesday, said it intercepted and seized smuggled goods, which grand duty paid value worth N27 million, within a week.
The seized items included 602 bags of imported parboiled rice, conveyed in a truck belonging to a cement company, two vehicles -Lexus RX Jeep and Hyundai Veracrus jeep, 800 pairs of foreign footwear and 100 pieces of imported school bags, 100 cartons of mosquito repellant, 50 kegs of vegetable oil, 19 used tyres and their means of conveyance.
Briefing journalists at the Quarry Road, Abeokuta Command of NCS, the Controller, Ogun State Area Command, Sanni Maidugu, pointed out that the truck loaded with smuggled rice was intercepted at the Sagamu Interchange, along Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, while others were intercepted at different locations within Abeokuta area.
According to him, the cement truck with Registration Number, KMC 252 XC, had been monitored by customs operatives, from where it loaded somewhere in Ogun State before it was eventually intercepted.
Maidugu, who said the state command had been equipped and motivated to pre-empt and counter moves by smugglers, disclosed that the Ogun State based cement company, had partnered with the customs to expose any truck drivers involving in smuggling activities.