The Seme Command of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) has revealed that it’s officers intercepted 7,524 table water valued at N1,726,644.00 with a Duty Paid Value of N3,043,364.00. This is even as the Coordinator of NAFDAC for Seme area, Dr. Nurudeen Usman explained that the seized table waters were imported for Chinese nationals working in Nigeria.
Addressing journalists on Monday in Seme, the Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Mohammed Uba Garba charged his officers to ensure that the illegal importations of Contrabands through the Command is curtailed.
Accordingly, the CAC stressed that the efforts of the enforcement unit of the Command with regards to suppression of smuggling have been unprecedented in recent times; in the past week alone, nine vehicles were arrested carrying: 83 cartons of Amira/Makoko soap with DPV of N1,816,424.00; 1,718x50bags of Foreign parboiled rice with DPV of N655,250.00; 26 bales of used clothes with DPV of N918,918.00; 14 cartons of Nitro feminine soap with DPV of N169,855.00; 13 bags of expired rice with DPV of N54,860.00; 8 sacks of used shoes with DPV of N98,090.00; 65×6 yards of textile with DPV of N63,759.00; 11 cartons of insecticide with DPV of N13,035.00; 864×30 liter jerry cans of Sulphuric acid with DPV of N3,542,400.00; 2 sacks of rubber slippers with DPV of N38,228.00 and 2 cartons of lemon cream with DPV N77,382.00.
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He explained further that one of the vehicles used for conveying the contrabanded goods is a Toyota Hilux van (masked in official regalia), intercepted conveying 16 bags of rice at Gbaji axis. DPV for the means of conveyance seized stood at N8,716,663.00.
While highlighting the gains that the country will benefit from the inter-connectivity between Nigeria and Republic of Benin as launched by the CGC Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd) late in June, the Comptroller added that the Command has been surpassing its revenue target for the last three months running. The total revenue generated for the first half of the year stands at N4,185,782,397, representing about 64% of the annual allotted target.
He called on his Benin counterparts to respect the International Law guiding the transfer of cargo from one customs administration to another.
The Customs Area Controller mentioned that a total of 37 vehicles have been released to the successful bidders of the auctioned vehicles domiciled at the command. He called on the general public to be vigilant against internet fraudsters who prey on unsuspecting members of the public to dupe them of their legitimate earnings through dubious ploys for auction of seized goods. He clarified further that app.trade.gov.ng/eauction is the correct government site for auction.
Also speaking, the Coordinator, Seme Border of the National Agency for Food Drug Administration Control (NAFDAC), Dr. Nurudeen Usman said the agency has banned importation or exportation of table water.
Usman who was curious that with the abundant bottle water factories in Nigeria someone could import bottle water into Nigeria added that “It is curious but the explanation of the clearing agent is that the importer wants to supply the products to Chinese workers in Nigeria.
“I don’t know the intent behind the water but they are criminals because it was concealed with an attachment which is dutiable.”
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