By Steve Agbota
The Comptroller General of Customs (CGC), Strike Force Zone ‘A’ of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) yesterday said it intercepted 3,525 litres of Premium Motor Spirit, one pump action, one locally fabricated pistol, 14 live cartridges and 900 bags of cement used to conceal rice from the smugglers.
Other items seized within the period include; 1,500 x 50kg bags of foreign parboiled rice, 839 bales of used clothes, 1,670 mumrite tomato paste, 500 mumrite sardine and smuggled vehicles with a cumulative duty paid value (DPV) of N390.198 million
Displaying the seized items to newsmen, the Co-ordinator of the Strike Force, Mohammed Sani Yusuf, said foreign tomato paste, used clothing, importation of vehicles through the land borders, used tyres, arms and ammunition without end-user certificates, among others, are all import prohibition, which threatens the country’s economy.
He maintained that illicit goods imported into the country with their attendant effects mostly end up either in Nigerian homes or in the neighbourhood, causing a wide range of issues, ranging from social to a psychological crisis.
“Our efforts at ensuring that the local industries are protected from unhealthy foreign competition and other forms of social security require a strong partnership between our operatives and members of the public in areas of information sharing and moral support,” he added.
In the aspect of revenue, he revealed that N748.679 million was made through documentary checks and issuance of demand notices on consignments that were found to have been short-paid.
He said it was sad to note that some Nigerians would pay all duties and levies payable to the Customs authorities of other countries they import from, while, on the other hand, they make conscious efforts to evade such payments into the federal coffers.
“We are in the last quarter of the year; approaching the yuletide period, where recalcitrant traders and importers quest to make more profits through smuggling is at its peak.
I would use this opportunity to appeal to importers and agents to be patriotic by making sincere declarations, and pay their duties accurately.
“Let me use this medium to warn non compliant traders to desist from such; because we have strategically mobilised, and deployed our personnel to do the needful. I wish to reiterate at this point, that unpatriotic importers/agents culpable shall be dealt with in accordance with the dictates of the law,” he warned.