Rice smuggling: Smugglers devise use of okada, bicycles

Joint Border Operation Drill (JBOD) against anti-smuggling activities in the North Central areas has raised the alarm over the continued use of bicycles, motorcycles and tricycles for smuggling of foreign parboiled rice into the country.

Speaking with journalists on activities of the sector in the past 24 days in Ilorin on Wednesday, the coordinator, Comptroller Olugboyega Peters, said that seven new tricycles, 45 motorcycle and tricycle spare parts were seized from smugglers during the period.

“At least, the smugglers carry about 10 bags of foreign parboiled rice on a motorcycle to bring in the goods to the country. They also make use of a bicycle. This is the means they’ve devised with aim of beating our men on operations.

“The use of tricycles by the smugglers serve a better purpose in the smuggling business as they get quick money through such deals. By the time a motorcycle carries 10 bags of rice into a warehouse, the place is filled up in small-time,” he said.

The coordinator, who said that die-hard smugglers are ready to do anything to carry out their nefarious activities, added that “they now use scrap vehicles, tricycles, motorcycles, bicycles to smuggle goods and even go as far as exhibiting their talents by using bags of local rice to conceal foreign parboiled rice with the intention to deceive our operatives.”

He also said that smugglers now bring in unmilled rice (paddy rice) in 100kg to deceive officers, as against usual foreign parboiled rice.

“One of the major highlights of this briefing is the seizures of five trucks 1,677 bags of 100kg each of unprocessed rice around Chikanda/Okuta axis of the sector worth N18.4 million,” he said.

The coordinator said that cooperation of all the security agencies in the joint border operation led to seizures of following items, valued at N39.5 million within the period under review:
961 Bags of foreign Rice concealed in Bags of Local Rice,
33,000 Liters of Petroleum Tanker and 45 kegs of 25 litres each of Petroleum,
21 Bales of Secondhand Clothing,
7 New Tricycles,
25 Cartons/Crates of Alcoholic and Non-Alcoholic Drinks,
12 Used vehicles,
45 motorcycle and tricycle spare parts.

“Within the space of 24 days, the innovative actions adopted by the sector had led to the 48 seizures which bring the total number of seizures recorded since my assumption of duty as the coordinator of this sector to 113 with total Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N107.6 million.”

The JBOD coordinator, who warned smugglers to engage in legitimate business, said that the operatives are determined to make the zone unfavourable to smugglers.

“Yuletide period is around the corner, smugglers who want to take advantage of this period to smuggle illicitly, controlled and prohibited goods or engage in human trafficking should think twice, as there will be no hidden place for them due to the new patrol strategies explored by the sector in line with the Presidential directives against illegal perpetrators who are bent on derailing the nation’s economy.

“To this end, I wish to commend the patriotic collaboration and tremendous assistance we always receive from traditional leaders, eminent personalities and some host communities including members of the press in our resolute drive against smuggling in the overall interest of our dear nation,” he said.

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