As the efforts to stem out economy sabotagers continue, the Nigeria Customs Service through Operation Whirlwind has continued to make seizures in the Adamawa/Taraba command boarder areas.
The Operation Whirlwind within the month of November, 2024 intercepted petroleum products, Motor Premium Spirit (PMS) with duty paid value of the smuggled pms put at N86,5m.
Addressing newsmen on the activities of the team in Yola on Wednesday, the Coordinator of operations Operation Whirlwind, Comptroller, H.K. Ejibunu said the successes recorded is through the uncompromising and collective efforts of the Operatives zone D.
The items seized includes 1,124 Jerry cans of 25, 40 and 60 litres, capacity each of PMS, 53 drums of 200 litres of capacity each filled with PMS.
The operation also led to seizure of 21,000 Litres of PMS conveyed in two fuel tankers totalling 71,965 litres, aimed at smuggling it to the Republic of Cameroun
Five vehicles and two motorcycles used in convening the products were also seized
The Comptroller added that with the inter agency collaboration, the Operatives was able to intercepted 14 fuel tankers loaded with PMS on grounds of product diversions and smuggling.
Comptroller Ejibunu added that “out of the 14 fuel tankers incepted 13 were handed over to NMDPRA in Yola while One to NMDPRA in Taraba State for continued inter-agency action”.
“It is evident that the anti-smuggling crusade of the Operation Whirlwind had allowed Adamawa to witness a stable and sufficient supply of PMS, reduce scarcity and price instability”.
The Coordinator however urged patriotic Nigerians and genuine oil marketers that Nigeria Customs Service is committed to facilitate legitimate trade, stressing that this “fight is against the illicit oil marketers and the economic saboteurs “
He encouraged all legitimate oil marketers to go out with their normal business without fear of harassment or seizure of their products.
Speaking earlier, the Comptroller Adamawa and Taraba States Command, Garba Bashir said smuggling activities had gone a long way in destroying the economic growth of the country and called for a collective effort to arrest the trend.
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