Customs Intercepts Donkey Skins, Rice Worth N373.6m In Lagos
Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Strike Force Unit, Zone A has intercepted eight trucks of foreign parboiled rice, 44 sacks of donkey skins and other contraband valued at N373.6million within four weeks.
The service said in Lagos that the rice was smuggled into the country from Benin Republic.
The Coordinator of the unit, Deputy Comptroller Muhammad Yusuf, said at his maiden press briefing that the cement truck used in conveying the bags of smuggled rice was intercepted in Ilaro, Ogun State.
He added that officers and men of the service intercepted some of the contraband along the nation’s borders and warehouses in Lagos State.
Yusuf listed the items seized to include 3×20 feet containers of timber worth, N177.7million; 1,000 foreign smuggled rice, with Duty Paid Value of N43.2million; 3,143 pieces of used tyres worth, N75.4milion, used clothes worth N33.8million.
Others are 663 sacks of used shoes worth N37.8million, 44 sacks of donkey skin, N2.42million and 137.3kg of Canabis Sativa worth, N13million.
He said: “We are working 24 hours from day one and they have us to contend with any time they dare to carry out their illicit activities either at night or in the day. I am happy to declare that our operatives are relentless and uncompromising as far as this task is concerned.
“This is just the beginning of heated anti-smuggling action which we have embarked upon in the entire South West area of the country. We are ready to run smugglers out of town with the full support and encouragement of our Comptroller General of Customs, Col Hameed Ibrahim Ali (rtd). This task is aimed at protecting our national economy and preventing dangerous importation as well as exportation that contradicts the law.”
Yusuf stated that his more than 200 workforce were ready to run smugglers out of town with the full support and encouragement of the customs Comptroller General, Col Ibrahim Ali.
He added that the operation was aimed at protecting the national economy and preventing dangerous importation as well as exportation that contradict the law.
According to him, “our patrolling and interdiction capacity is recharged for round the clock operation against smugglers and anyone attempting to circumvent the dye process of import and export.
“I am happy to state that within a period of four weeks, the reconstituted Strike force Team A has collected the sum of N648.3million as revenue through the demand notices.”
Yusuf explained that the service’s patrolling and interdiction capacity was recharged for round the clock operation against smugglers, saying that anyone attempting to circumvent the due process of import and export would be arrested.
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