N11.2m textile material seized in Lagos

The Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone A of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on Thursday said it intercepted 140 bundles of textile materials worth N11.2million.

Smuggling of textile materials through the nation’s land borders has increased since the federal government placed a ban on access to foreign exchange to importers of textile materials in the country.

Speaking to journalists at a press briefing on Thursday, the Customs Area Controller, FOU Zone A of the NCS, Compt. Mohammed Aliyu said 25,153 bags of foreign parboiled rice smuggled into the country were also intercepted.

According to him, the textile materials which worth over N11.2million were intercepted after being smuggled from neighbouring country.

Others are 49 cartons of reboiled paracetamol injection worth N39.2million; 86 sacks of used shoes worth N10.3million; 820 sacks of donkey skins worth N78million;

347 cartons of codeine syrup at N174million; 1000 sachets of tramadol worth N250,000 and Indian hemp worth N11million.

He also disclosed that the smuggled rice intercepted worth over N331million and would be given to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs’) upon directive from the Customs headquarters.

“We have over 25,153 bags of rice waiting for a directive from Abuja, worth over N331million and we don’t give poisonous rice to IDPs’ as insinuated by some people,” the FOU Zone A Controller stated.

The CAC also disclosed that the unit intercepted a truck loaded with Cement and smuggled rice thereby making the rice poisonous.

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Speaking on rice taken to IDPs’, Comptroller Muhammed said they are first taken to the National Agency for Food  Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to know whether it is fit for consumption.

“We take this rice to NAFDAC for testing before we give it to orphanage homes. If they say its not good for human consumption we won’t give them out. So we don’t give expired rice to IDP. We sort out the most poisonous ones while we give the good ones to the Internally Displaced,” Comptroller Aliyu explained.

The CAC further disclosed that 16 vehicles worth over N470million were also intercepted in the months under review.

“The seized vehicles also included a Toyota Land Cruiser worth N189million and 347 cartons of codeine syrup worth N174million.

“Other vehicles seized are Mitsubishi Pajero, Land Cruiser, Toyota Venza, Mercedes Benz, volks wagen, Toyota Yaris among others.

“These are the 16 vehicles worth over N347million. There is one bulletproof vehicle. Many of the vehicles were abandoned after a heavy chase by our operatives along Oyo and Ogun border,” Comptroller Aliyu added.

He, however, reiterated that the federal government ban on imported used and new vehicles and foreign parboiled rice at the land borders still remain.

He also advises importers of these smuggled items to use the nation’s seaports so as to avoid their business from being ruined.