Harboursandports.com: Lagos--The
Federal Operations Unit, Zone “A”, the anti-smuggling arm of the Nigeria
Customs Service, NCS, yesterday said that it has impounded 384 parcels of 232 kilograms
of Indian Hemp, 13 vehicles, imported rice and other items with Duty Paid
Value, DPV, of N334,042,396.08 being smuggled into the country.
The
Customs Area Controller, CAC, of the unit, Comptroller Mohammed Uba Garba, at a
press briefing in Lagos, said that the intercepted goods includes 6,356 bags of
50 kilograms of imported rice, 2,495 cartons of poultry products, two forty
footer containers stuffed with 4,982 pieces of used tyres, one forty footer
container loaded with 170 cartons of pistons ring compressors, one forty footer
container loaded with logs of unprocessed rough wood for export, batteries and
many others.
According
to him, “The unit through its interventions recovered N273,675,138.75 from duty
payments and demand notices, DN, on general goods that tried to beat the system
from the seaport, airport and border stations in the guise of false
declaration, transfer of value and short change in duty payment to government.”
He
noted that the combination of the DPV and the revenue recovered amounted to a
cumulative amount collected by the unit to N607,717,535.55 between April and
middle of June. He also said that 10 suspects were arrested in connection with
the seizures.
The
Customs boss pointed out that the Indian Hemp which was concealed in second
hand clothes long Iyana-Ipaja, will be handed over to the National Drug Law
Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, in the spirit of inter agency relations.
The
thanked the management team of the Service led by the Comptroller General of
Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (Rted), for its encouragement and recognition of hard-work while also commended officers and men
of the unit for their dedication to duty which resulted in seizures.
Mohammed
urged those still involved in smuggling to turn a new leaf as the unit is ready
to tackle them to ensure that such illegal imports are brought to the barest
minimum because of the effect of smuggling on the economy of the nation, he
concluded.
No comments:
Post a Comment