Hyacinth Chinweuba
The Customs Headquarters Monitoring Team led by Assistant Comptroller of Customs Abdullahi Kirawa, has intercepted a Mercedes Benz truck with suspected offending goods along the Oshodi Expressway, in Lagos state.
Reacting to the development, the Controller Federal Operations Unit Zone ‘A’ Turaki Usman Adamu, stated that the truck was trailed from unapproved route in the axis, having being placed on surveillance by the operatives of the Headquarters Monitoring Team Seme Axis.
He stated further that the intercepted vehicle was brought to the FOU ‘A’ mechanical area, where a physical examination was conducted which revealed the following:
1) 1,071 (one thousand seventy one) cartons of assorted foreign frozen with Duty Paid Value of N5,783,400 (five million, seven hundred and eighty three thousand, four hundred naira only)
2) 40 (forty) cartons of ceramic tiles with of N62,400 (sixty two thousand, four hundred naira only) and 8 bath tubes with a DPV of 240,000. The two items above were used to conceal the products. It is instructive to note that the nefarious attitude and ingenuity of smugglers to device such means of concealment makes the Seizure very symbiotic.
The Controller commended the Team for deploying effective intelligence in effecting the Seizure and charged them to remain focused and resilient in their anti-smuggling mandate.
Reacting to questions on the level of synergy between his Unit and the Headquarters Monitoring Team, he stated that NCS operations is a compendium of Teams that are interwoven and whose operations are targeted towards achieving a common goal.
He noted that the FOU ‘A’ and the Teams are working harmoniously in ensuring that all flanks and suspected areas used by smugglers are completed blocked.
He pointed out that the Federal Operations Unit will continue to play a leading role in anti-smuggling in view of the need to continually meet and surpass its operational benchmark and warned smugglers to stay away from the Zone or face the wrath of his operatives.