Hyacinth Chinweuba
The CGC Strike Force of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS has recorded another set of seizures.
Barely few days after the last seizures of several contraband 50 kg Rice of about 2,494 and 1,188 (25 litres) of vegetable oil, with a total Duty Paid Value (DPV) of about N47 million by the unit, another set of vehicles including one Dangote Trailer, Three (3) trucks, six vehicles including two (2) Toyota Sienna SUVs and about four (4) Mazda and Toyota cars conveying large quantities of various contraband goods have been impounded by the anti-smuggling officers of the unit.
While the SUVs and cars were brought into the training college office of the Strike Force, the Dangote Trailer was taken to the mechanical workshop and the three other trucks at the entrance of the customs warehouse in Ikeja.
Most significant among the seizures was the Dangote Trailer that concealed several 50kg Rice commodity in their hundreds with cement products intercepted along Ijebu Ode axis of Ogun State.
Similarly, the Toyota Sienna SUVs, were fully loaded with foreign poultry products that are already decaying showing that it is extremely dangerous for human consumption, as well as two (2) Mazda cars and one Toyota Camry (big daddy) car all fully loaded with contraband Rice were all impounded in different locations within the zone.
Others include three (3) truck load of rice products which were impounded behind Murtala Animasaun estate along Ojuore – Sango road.
Meanwhile, the seizures were still under collation and verification to assertain the quantities and value as at the time of compiling this report.
According to the Officer in Charge of the Force, Deputy Comptroller Yahaya Biri, the unit after the little hand-over and reposition distractions had assumed full duty of combing the nooks and crannies of the zone against offensive goods brought into the country by unrepentant smugglers and import defaulters.
Furthermore, with the recent performance and interventions of the zone ‘A’ CGC Strike Force, several revenue running into millions have been accrued into the purse of the service and government.
In the month of May alone, barely one week of take-over the affairs of the the unit, over N220 million was realized due the intervention of the unit from DN raised on dutable goods.