Oyo/Osun Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service recorded a seizure of smuggled goods with a duty-paid value of N468,706,602 million within the last 17 days, including a truck with a popular cement manufacturing company’s name loaded with bags of foreign rice.
The seized goods, aside theforeign parboiled rice, include cannabis sativa, Premium Motor Spirit, used tyres, used clothes, used refrigerator and Air Conditioner compressors, as well as used shoes.
Also seized were the three trucks conveying the smuggled goods.
Briefing journalists on Monday, the Oyo/Osun Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Joseph Olugbuyi Adelaja, broke down the seizures as 2,030 bags of 50-kg foreign parboiled rice worth N223.3 million, 660 kilogrammes of cannabis sativa with a duty paid value of N21.780 million, 28 bales of used clothes worth N20.160 million and 167 pieces of used tyres worth N16.032 million.
Others are 167 (25-litre) kegs of Premium Motor Spirit with a duty paid value of N4,592,500 million, 28 pieces of used refrigerator compressors worth N1.764 million, eight pieces of used Air Conditioner compressors worth N252,000, a bale of used shoes worth N420,000 and three trucks with a duty paid value of N180,406,102 million.
He disclosed that one of the trucks, discovered to belong to a company owned by one of the cement manufacturers, was loaded with bags of rice and covered with tarpaulin to make it look like it was conveying bags of cement.
He said that the achievement was made possible through effective intelligence sharing by the Customs Intelligence Unit, the Customs Police Unit, and the support of relevant stakeholders who collaborated with the Command to accomplish the task.
Saying that the illegal activities not only undermine the nation’s economic development but also pose serious threat to the safety and well-being of citizens, the Comptroller warned persistent smugglers that the area command would enforce necessary compliance through the application of Customs laws.
He advised owners of companies conveying goods from one place to another to install trackers in all of their vehicles to monitor their movements.
He expressed appreciation to the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, for the support extended to the command’s officers and men, as well as the governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, for providing an enabling environment for Customs officers to work in.
Comptroller Adelaja assured the general public that the command remains resolute in its fight against smuggling and illicit trade.
He called for maximum support from stakeholders and patriotic Nigerians to enhance Customs officers’ abilities to discharge their duties effectively to safeguard the nation’s economy.
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