Customs intercept container of Tilapia fish from Turkey

THE Apapa, Lagos State command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intercepted a 40-foot container of frozen tilapia fish imported from Turkey and valued at N22.1 million.

The Customs Area Controller, Mr Muhammad Jibrin, said this on Monday when he led newsmen to APM terminals, Apapa, where the container was intercepted.

Jibrin said the container with number DFOU6122880 was discovered during scanning.

He said the importer made a false declaration that the container was laden with apples.

“Upon scanning, officers discovered the container was containing 2,700 cartons of frozen tilapia fish from Turkey.

“The aforementioned fish species is under restriction.”

“Moreso, importers of allowable species of fish are expected to obtain licence and permit before such importation into the country.

“We have scanners that are working, but most of the scanners are inadequate for operations,” Jibrin said.

He said the command had opened communication with Agriculture and Plant Quarantine Service and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) in the spirit of collaboration.

Jibrin said the command had zero tolerance for smuggling and false declaration in line with the policy of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Colonel Hameed Ali (retd).

He said the command would continue to uncover and stop any attempt at breaching the law as regards imports and exports transactions through the command.

The comptroller, however, advised stakeholders relating with Customs service to be law-abiding “as no stone will be left unturned in enforcing government fiscal policy regulations.”