Customs seize 4,010 bags of rice along South-West borders

The Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Operations Unit, Zone A, Ikeja, has stated that its officers seized 4,010 bags of 50kg rice along the South-West borders within 24 hours on Monday.

The Customs Area Comptroller in charge of the unit, Controller Kola Oladeji, disclosed this while showcasing some of the seized bags of foreign parboiled rice to journalists at the command late on Monday.

According to Controller Oladeji, “These are just the activities of the last 24 hours, during which we recorded these seizures. It is affecting our economy. It is affecting the stability of the naira to the dollar. We have local production of rice.

“Smugglers don’t pay taxes. They don’t pay anything, and all these prohibited items are not meant for this country.”

He explained that they had been tracking the contraband for some time before finally intercepting it late on Monday.

“This is not a detailed press briefing. As you are aware, we have just arrived here with some of these seized bags of foreign parboiled rice. We succeeded in intercepting them at border areas in the South West region at large,” Oladeji added.

 

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Giving details of the operation, Oladeji explained that, “The contraband was packed in smaller cars, but upon sighting our men and officers, they took to their heels and abandoned the cars.

“But since our objective was to intercept those smuggled items, we did not bother about their means of transport. We had to hire trucks and even use our operational vehicles to bring them down here,” he explained.
He said that in that singular operation, the unit intercepted nine lorries, six buses, and 11 other vehicles carrying bags of rice.

Speaking about the arrests, he said that the smugglers abandoned the items and the vehicles upon seeing the officers.

“These vehicles were abandoned. Immediately we sighted them, they knew the game was up, so they had no choice but to run away with their car keys, and most of the vehicles were specially built. You may not be able to drive them unless they are the ones,” he said.

He mentioned that because of the vast land borders the country shares with Benin Republic, some of the smuggled items do enter through bush paths.

Oladeji lauded the Nigerian Army for always assisting the Service when needed.
“I want to seize the opportunity to thank some of our sister agencies that assist us, because without them, sometimes we might not succeed.

“Agencies like the Nigerian Army must be commended. They always give us a helping hand in securing the seizures,” Oladeji said.