Customs seize N15.6bn contraband goods within six months in South-West

The Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone A of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) over the weekend intercepted contrabands worth N15.6bn while also raising debit notes on importers worth N1.4bn, thereby collecting a total of 17bn within the South Western part of the country between January to June 2020.

While contrabands intercepted by the unit were from smugglers terrorising the South Western part of the country, which included Used vehicles, pharmaceuticals, textiles, foreign parboiled rice, tomato paste, second-hand clothing among others, the debit notes were raised on importers who under-declared their cargoes for lesser Customs duty.

Speaking to newsmen at the weekend, the Customs Area Controller of the unit, Usman Yahaya said N15.6billion was generated from contrabands seized from smugglers while N 1.4billion was raised from wrong classification, transfer of value and false declaration of cargoes.

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According to Compt. Yahaya, “The total duty paid value of N15.6bn was premised on seized contrabands while the N1.4billion was revenue from the unit interventions arising from wrong classifications, transfer of value and false declarations by importers. So, a total of N17billion was recovered for the Federal Government in the period under review.”

The CAC also explained that the unit also intercepted a truckload of banned textile materials worth N565million naira imported from the Benin Republic

He also disclosed that 18,760 bags of foreign parboiled rice smuggled into the country from the Benin Republic and 64 units of exotic vehicles were intercepted and detained for duty evasion and underpayment were intercepted.

“A quick glance of our spectacular seizure reports from 7th January 2020, shows 64 exotic vehicles including two bulletproofs, 18,760 bags of 50kg of foreign parboiled rice valued at N469million, 1,338kg of Indian Hemp worth N201million, and 147 sacks (9,504kg) of Pangolin scales worth N10.4billion.

“Others are 3,059 cartons of tomato paste, 10,653 cartons of frozen poultry products, 5,423 kegs of 25 litres each of vegetable oil, 56,472 bundles of Printed Textiles valued at N565million, 66 packs of Tramadol, 872 bales of Second-hand clothing worth N61million, 11,077 cartons of frozen products worth N177million,” the FOU Zone A Controller stated.

Comptroller Yahaya also added that “More interception includes 5,423 kegs of vegetable oil valued at N87million, 7,549 jerry cans of Petroleum Motor Spirit (PMS) valued at N27million, 5 containers load of pharmaceuticals valued at N3billion, 64 units of motorcycles used for smuggling valued at N565million among others.”

A visibly angry Yahaya however warned smugglers to embrace legitimate business as the unit is ready to send them out of illegitimate business. He also disclosed that the seizure was borne out of intelligence and hard work of eagle eye officers of the unit.

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