CITIZENS COMPASS – THE Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) , Federal Operations, Zone A, Lagos State, on Tuesday, April 4, 2023, says it seized contraband goods worth N694,462,150.00 as part of its success stories in the month of March 2023.
Addressing a press conference at the Headquarters of Federal Operations Unit, Zone A Lagos, AG. Controller Federal Operations, Unit Zone A, Hussein K. Ejibunu, said the gathering encapsulates the successes recorded by the Unit in the month of March 2023.
He said the Unit has adopted strategies that place it ahead of the economic saboteurs, towards defeating their game of concealment, false declaration, under payment, and duty evasion among others.
The strategies according to the AG, have produced results which led to seizures of 35,325 liters of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), 11 trailer loads of 50kg bags of foreign parboiled rice and 279 cartons of foreign poultry products.
He said the Unit also made a giant stride by making other seizures like,
105 parcels (50kg) of cannabis sativa,
883 bales of used clothes and 8 units of foreign used (Tokunbo) vehicles among others.
The AG put the networth of the seizures in terms of Duty Paid Value (DPV) at N694,462,150.00.
While reeling out the achievement, he said, ” Our strategies are consistently being reworked in our efforts to be ahead of the economic saboteurs, towards defeating their game of concealment, false declaration, under payment, and duty evasion. Prominent among the seizures made for contravening various sections of the extant Customs laws are:
6,228 X 50kg bags of foreign parboiled rice (equivalent to 11 trailer loads)
35,325 liters of premium motor spirit (PMS)
279 Cartons of foreign poultry products
105 parcels (50kg) of cannabis sativa
2 x 40 ft containers said to contain 883 bales of used clothes
8 units of foreign used (Tokunbo) vehicles
” The total worth of these goods in terms of duty paid value (DPV) stood at Six Hundred and Ninety-Four Million, Four Hundred and Sixty-Two Thousand, One Hundred and Fifty Naira (N694,462,150.00). Five (5) suspects were arrested in connection with some of the goods.”
” While the federal government played its role by imposing trade restrictions in an effort to protect our local companies and farmers from unhealthy competition with foreign firms, the onus lies on its citizens to complement government’s efforts with that of compliance with the Customs’ extant regulations and government’s fiscal policies. This can be achieved by making sincere declarations, and being properly guided by the import/export prohibition lists.
It is imperative to note that the wisdom behind the government’s protectionist policy is to protect the national economy and safeguard its citizens’ lives and property. Smuggled bales of used clothes expose its users to fungal diseases and other skin diseases like scabies.
Apart from the effects of smuggled foreign frozen poultry products on the economy, it also affects the health of its consumers. Some of these frozen poultry products are preserved under questionable conditions. This assertion is embedded in some previous laboratory reports by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
As a part of the results achieved from the reworked strategy; expired, illicit, and other drugs that did not comply with the statutory import requirements were intercepted at different times and locations are constructively warehoused in 39 x 140 ft and 2 x 20 ft containers by this Unit, and will be handed over to NAFDAC for possible destruction (with a DPV of N1,422,000,000).
”Tbe public is encouraged to approach any Customs office across the country for information and guidance concerning international trade.”
